While officials struggle to manage Los Angeles’ growing homelessness crisis, the city is spending $350,000 on trees allegedly destroyed by a homeless man using a chainsaw in a bizarre week-long vandalism spree.
Key Takeaways
- Samuel Patrick Groft, a homeless man with an extensive criminal record, allegedly cut down 13 trees in downtown Los Angeles and now faces up to 6.5 years in prison.
- The vandalism caused an estimated $350,000 in damages, with some individual trees valued at nearly $28,000 each by city officials.
- Authorities caught Groft at a homeless encampment with a spray-painted chainsaw after a week-long tree-cutting spree that went largely unnoticed at first.
- Despite claiming to be an arborist who “loves trees,” Groft faces nine felony vandalism charges and remains jailed on $350,000 bail.
- City officials promise to replace each fallen tree with two new ones, with new trees being donated by local conservation organizations.
Chainsaw Vandalism Spree Costs Taxpayers $350,000
A homeless man with an extensive criminal record is facing severe legal consequences after allegedly cutting down 13 trees in downtown Los Angeles with a chainsaw over seven days. Samuel Patrick Groft, 44, was arrested on April 22 after authorities found him with a spray-painted electric chainsaw, the alleged implement of destruction. The damage estimates have reached a staggering $350,000, with six of the trees alone valued by city officials at more than $170,000 – meaning taxpayers are on the hook for approximately $28,000 per tree.
The tree-cutting spree began on April 13 but went largely unnoticed until April 19, when three large trees were discovered cut down on South Grand Avenue. The targeted trees included Chinese elms, ficus, dragon trees, and junipers – all city property. While Los Angeles continues to struggle with rampant homelessness, crime, and illegal immigration, the city has determined that each tree lost in this incident is worth more than many Americans’ annual salaries, raising questions about city spending priorities and asset valuation.
Suspect Found at Homeless Encampment
Surveillance footage and public tips helped police locate Groft at a homeless encampment. Detective Michael Pineda detailed the arrest, stating, “We went to one of the locations over at Custer and Sunset. Once we got there, we found him there with the evidence, the same clothing, bicycle, and the chainsaw,” shared in CBS News. Despite the overwhelming evidence, Groft made bizarre statements during his arrest that seemed to contradict his actions.
“I love trees. I love to bark. I’m an arborist,” said Samuel Patrick Groft, while also reportedly commenting, “something about you arresting me on Earth Day,” shared in The Epoch Times
Judge George Lomeli denied Groft release on his own recognizance, citing his “extensive criminal record.” The judge determined during a preliminary hearing that “It appears to this court that the charges in the underlying complaint… have been committed,” and that “There is probable cause and a strong suspicion that the conduct involved this defendant, Mr. Samuel Groft,” shared in Yahoo News. Groft remains jailed on $350,000 bail – an amount equal to the estimated damages.
Felony Charges and Replacement Plans
Groft faces nine felony counts of vandalism, with California setting the threshold for felony vandalism at just $400 in damages – far below the nearly $28,000 per tree that city officials claim each was worth. If convicted, Groft could spend up to six-and-a-half years in state prison. The steep valuation of the trees and severity of the charges stand in stark contrast to the often lenient treatment of other crimes in Los Angeles, where progressive policies have been criticized for enabling repeat offenders.
“What took years to grow only took minutes to destroy,” said District Attorney Nathan Hochman, emphasizing the environmental impact and vowing to prosecute the case fully.
City officials have announced plans to replace each lost tree with two new ones, with City Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado noting that new trees are being donated by LA Conservation Corps and North East Trees. While the city commits resources to replacing these trees at an apparent cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars, many Angelenos continue to face rising crime, homelessness, and deteriorating infrastructure that seems to receive less urgent attention from city officials.
