Dublin High student arrested for allegedly cutting down 8 trees on campus

DUBLIN — Police here believe they’ve solved the mystery behind a seemingly random act of nighttime tree-cutting at Dublin High, which caused an estimated $60,000 to $80,000 in damage.

The suspect, arrested after being identified through electronic records, is a teen boy who attended the school, authorities said. Police are also looking into one of the boy’s friends, also a student, as the possible second culprit.

The boy was arrested after police realized he’d accessed the school’s Wi-Fi during the time of the vandalism, which began a little after midnight last Dec. 11. The school had a tree lighting the previous night, which made the crime sting even more, Dublin High Principal Maureen Byrne said in a news release.

“It is difficult to fully express the level of dismay we feel. We are shocked, saddened, and deeply frustrated,” Bryne’s statement says. “These trees were part of our campus environment, planted and cared for to create a welcoming, vibrant place for our students to learn and grow.”

The chopped trees included a Live Oak, a Red Maple, a Arbutus, a Sycamore, a Crape Myrtle, and three Chinese Pistache trees, according to authorities and district officials. The masked vandals appeared on campus overnight, using a power tool to chop them down.

Authorities say the arrested teen called in sick after the vandalism and that his friend was acting suspiciously around the school in the aftermath. The boys’ ages were not made public available, but authorities confirmed both are younger than 18. Charging information regarding the teens was not available due to confidentiality laws surrounding juvenile court.

District officials had offered a $100 reward for information leading to those responsible and encouraged tipsters to use a website or to call 844-714-1490.