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Thousands of dollars in damages after vandals target trees in West Jordan park

Posted at 4:54 PM, Dec 14, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-14 18:54:42-05

WEST JORDAN, Utah -- This is now the second time this year that West Jordan City is dealing with an expensive case of tree vandalism.

Sometime over this past weekend, someone in a vehicle took out more than a half-dozen 2-year-old trees in Ron Wood Park at 5900 West and New Bingham Highway.

The damage is very near the Ron Wood Memorial Baseball Diamond.

This comes on the heels of a July incident where a young man allegedly destroyed dozens of mature trees, not only in West Jordan but in South Jordan as well, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damages.

This incident not as big as the last one, but it is still very disheartening for the folks who are trying to maintain this beautiful green space in the middle of one of Utah's fastest growing cities.

“I think this is just a bunch of kids, I am thinking out joyriding and having a good time and doing vandalism, and as we all know: This falls on the backs of taxpayers,” said Brian Clegg, Director of Parks for West Jordan City.

This time around the damage is estimated to be around $4,000, and Clegg says they will replant new trees next spring.

"It's disheartening, again, there is no reason for it,” Clegg said of the vandalism. “I don't understand it, why you would do that."

Meanwhile, there is a police investigation into this vandalism, and if anyone out there saw anything suspicious near the Ron Wood Park in West Jordan over this past weekend they are asked to call investigators at 801-840-4000.