A decades-old ornamental street tree in downtown Hillsborough has been vandalized and police want your help tracking down those who did it.
Officials say the approximately 25-foot-tall crepe myrtle, which stands on the west side of Churton Street between Tryon and King Streets, was vandalized by an unknown person.
Police say the suspect sawed through the tree’s bark around the entire base of the trunk, drilled holes into the trunk and applied herbicide. Officials say it appears the vandal or vandals intended to kill the tree.
Police believe the vandalism occurred in “one or more incidents over the past two weeks.”
The tree is valued at $25,000 due to its size and age.
Town officials say trees growing in rights-of-way are town property and cannot be removed or pruned without explicit permission from the Hillsborough Tree Board.
Anyone with information regarding the vandalism is asked to contact Hillsborough Police Sergeant Chip White at (919) 732-9381, extension 34.
More information about the street trees can be found by calling staff for the Hillsborough Tree Board at (919) 732-1270, extension 74.
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