FELL TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Police are investigating a case of vandalism along a popular stretch of a hiking trail in Lackawanna County.
Officials say someone ripped freshly planted trees out of the ground near Simpson.
This stretch of trail near Simpson is the newest section of the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, and lately, walkers have noticed some new additions along the path. A landscaping company is in the process of planting about 80 trees along the trail.
"We noticed new trees planted along the trail, and I saw on Facebook that at least one of them was torn up," Kim Walter said.
Walter was disappointed when she went online and saw images of those freshly planted trees ripped at the root and laying in the trail. A total of five trees were tampered with.
"You wonder why. I mean, what do they really get out of it?" Walter said.
"It's too bad. They try to make it nice and kids ruin it, I guess," Bill Brady said.
The company doing the landscaping work says someone must have messed with the trees between Friday night and Saturday morning.
"Friday we got done pouring the concrete late. We left probably around 6 at night, locked all the gates. Saturday, Saturday morning, the tree was taken out," said Bill Warnock of J.S. Wright Excavating.
The landscaper was able to replant the five trees that were vandalized, but they are worried they may be too damaged to survive.
Warnock says he will keep a close eye on the damaged trees while his company continues to work here.
In the meantime, anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call Carbondale police.
"It pretty much comes down to appreciation of the area as a community. It's a shame that a select few have to try to ruin it for the many," Warnock added.