Is this a case for Special Branch? Country park rangers step up surveillance on the hunt for night-time tree thief.

Since November, 29 silver birch and alder trees at Riverside Country Park, Lower Rainham Road, Gillingham, have had their branches chopped down and stolen on three occasions.

The trees, which are around six metres tall, and have been felled in the Motney field area of the park, would cost £4,500 to replant.

Park ranger Simon Bellinger said he suspected people were making wreaths out of the branches and selling them, after the first lot were taken.

“Whoever did this didn’t use a chainsaw, it was some kind of hand saw, and I believe are probably dangerous people to approach,” he said.

“They didn’t care about the damage, and potentially harming somebody in the car park. After they cut the trees down, they then stayed around to take off the branches.

“The trunks were not taken away so this was not about somebody needing fire wood.

“We had a similar thing happen last December with some alder trees, which have pretty cones on the ends of the branches.

“It seems people take off the smaller branches and use them to make decorations like Christmas wreaths. If you get them made up professionally, they can cost quite a lot of money.”

But, more branches were stolen on January 5 and 13, leaving rangers stumped.

Nigel Holman, ranger services manager at Medway Council, said: “All of these beautiful trees have been badly felled from waist height, breaking nearby fencing, and the offenders only take the thin twigs and branches away with them, leaving the main trunk and branches behind for park rangers to clear up.

“The trees provide habitats for wildlife, purify the air we breath, and add to the beauty of the park which so many people enjoy.

“We have reported these incidents to the police and park rangers are now visiting Motney field seven days a week to keep an eye on the situation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Kent Police on 101 quoting the crime reference, 28-0917.