Neighbors want to root out this barbarism.
A mystery man, dubbed by residents “Edward Scissorhands,” is chopping branches off residents’ trees late at night in Fort Worth, Texas – stumping police and neighbors.
Oddball, a self-appointed arborist, has cut down at least a dozen trees in the streets in front of houses in the area and was caught on camera several times mid-snipe, according to CBS,
“Sometimes he just takes a little bit, but then he goes massively in other people’s trees,” said neighbor Ashley Thoman angrily.
In home surveillance footage, the branch bandits can be seen working – usually with an unarmed dog around 3 a.m. – before stepping back to admire their work.
The residents want him to leave them alone.
“I was talking to my wife Emily and I was like, ‘Hey, we had a storm last night,'” neighbor Jerry Balkenbush said, referring to the downstairs in front of their house.
“And she was like ‘Oh no, she was like Edward Scissorhands,’ and so I was like ‘Uh what?’ as it was”
His wife, Emily Balkenbush, said that Limb Lifter had earned the nickname – for the 1990 Johnny Depp film – because of his lust for the piece.
“Neighbors were talking about it and it was like he was going down some streets,” said Emily Balkenbush.
Police are now using the footage to investigate who is unwanted tree trimmer Maybe, the station reported.
Other residents are outraged because they have to pay for the trees through their homeowners’ association, and say incidents are continuing.
“He starts trimming the tree and admires his work and retorts,” said neighbor Danny Thoman, “he wants the man to cut it down.”
“We really wish he would stop doing this.”