Police give doorbell cameras to catch tree vandal

Doorbell cameras have been handed out to Hackney residents by the the Metropolitan Police in their bid to hunt down a vandal attacking trees.

After months of strikes the culprit has continued to evade Hackney's authorities.

On Monday, resident Mark Westcott told the council cabinet people were being "held hostage" by the tree wrecker.

The attacks have largely happened in areas without CCTV.

Mr Westcott said: "Whoever this is, they're quite aware whether they're being watched".

He said a young male, apparently in their late teens to early 20s, with a pale-ish complexion had previously been caught on doorbell footage, and the camera owner had given a statement to police.

"You've got to bait a trap here," Mr Westcott said, urging the council to install a covert camera.

The damage has mostly seen saplings uprooted and destroyed, branches snapped and trunks girdled or "ring-barked" which is where a section of bark is removed from around a tree trunk or branch, which can be fatal.

In January, the Met asked for doorbell footage that might help catch the perpetrator.

Since then, it is believed six more attacks have taken place.

During the authority meeting, councillor Susan Fajana-Thomas confirmed police were reviewing a decision not to arrest a suspect.

She added the Met has distributed free doorbell cameras in the hope of catching attacks on video.

The crimes have largely concentrated on north Hackney's Cazenove ward.

But environment chief, councillor Sarah Young, said they had spread to other parts of the borough.

Councillors Sam Pallis and Patrick Pinkerton, who represent Cazenove, said they remained "vigilant" and were exploring ways of dealing with the "shocking and outrageous" attacks.

They added CCTV had been installed at a tree vandalism hotspot.

On Monday, Mr Pinkerton called the crimes "an attack on our entire community".

Ms Fajana-Thomas said since cameras were installed in the area there had been no further reports of damage.

Sixty trees were vandalised across the borough in 2022.

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