The community of Macroom and its surrounding areas have been left confused as trees have been found cut down and left on roads.
Sergeant Ruairi Gunn, based in Bandon Garda Station, joined Patricia Messinger on C103’s Cork Today show for Garda File, to discuss incidents of trees cut down and left on the roadside at Annahalla West, Carrigphooca and Clondrohid on August 20 and September 4/5.
An Garda Síochána believe the trees were cut down overnight and left on the public roadway, which is upsetting for environmental reasons as well as dangerous for those driving in the area.
“The trees were literally just cut and left on the roadway,” Sgt Gunn said.
“It is totally unexplained in terms of why anyone would want to do this.
“First of all, they are healthy trees and they are maybe eight to 10 inches in diameter; so, it seems they might be something that somebody could cut down quite quickly,” Sgt Gunn told Ms Messinger.
It is believed that the vandals opted for an electric chainsaw to carry out the acts to limit the amount of noise that can be heard.
“The Macroom Gardaí have asked that if people are noticing on their travels, probably early in the morning, trees that have been cut down to contact them because they believe someone is doing it on purpose, and they want to catch whoever it is,” Sgt Gunn said.
The possibility of a road accident is part of the issues “with the darker mornings now, it could be a problem for road users if they unexpectedly [come] upon a tree.
“It is one thing if there has been a storm, and you are half-wary, but you are not expecting it,” Sgt Gunn said and Ms Messinger followed up the answer by saying “on a calm night.”
Cathaoirleach of the Macroom Municipal District, Martin Coughlan, told The Irish Independent that the vandalism is a “madman’s act.”
“I heard about it yesterday [Thursday, September 10] about this happening and I don’t know who is at it, but it is a madman’s act anyway,” he said.
“Nobody knows what it is about, it is just mindless vandalism,” Mr Coughlan added.
Mr Coughlan is the Chairperson of the Macroom Tidy Towns, a volunteer group who are routinely seen planting trees, flowers and shrubs, and he is saddened by the acts of vandalism that could lead to the loss of life.
“We are planting trees the last 40 years, and I don’t know what the game is for this person, but it is a serious, serious thing to do because it could be the cause of a loss of life.
“Someone could be driving around the corner and hit one or two of these trees and you would never know what could happen – it could be the loss of three or four lives in a car.
“I don’t know what that person is protesting in their mind at all,” Mr Coughlan continued.
Anyone will any information is urged to contact Macroom Garda Station at 026) 20590.