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‘Artistic’ Dumping Discovered at Amagansett Beach

Thu, 02/29/2024 - 11:13
A wooden sculpture was found earlier this week at Big Albert's Beach in Amagansett.
East Hampton Town Police Department

“Artistic vandalism.” That’s how a police officer initially described the carved tree trunk he found late Saturday night in the parking lot of Amagansett’s Big Albert’s Beach, while patrolling the area for illegal dumping, which has been a problem for police lately.

“The stump included several chainsaw cuts” into a shape resembling “a totem pole-like structure,” he reported. It “included purple marker writing/markings in several places.” It measured about six feet tall and weighed about 200 pounds, and was surrounded by piles of sawdust.

“Additionally,” the report states, “several plastic and metal beverage containers were strewn on the ground in the immediate area.”

It was “nearly identical” to a tree stump discovered in the same place on Feb. 9, the report notes.

East Hampton Town Harbormaster Tim Treadwell, the commanding officer of the town police’s Marine Patrol division, said on Tuesday that officers have already identified the person responsible. He described the culprit as “an artist who decided he’d rather leave the mess on town property rather than his own property.”

Police do not plan to arrest the man or to ticket him, Mr. Treadwell said, “but we’re going to have a conversation with that individual and tell him to please cease and desist.”

“We’re also not too excited about the fact that he’s out there using a chainsaw on town property.” 

On the Police Logs 03.20.25

Police at first thought that the water reported to be flowing onto Church Street last Thursday afternoon came from a water main break, but found upon arriving at the scene that it was being pumped from a nearby swimming pool, a violation of the village code.

Mar 20, 2025

Coordinated Response Brought Fires Under Control

As winds out of the northwest gusted at near 40 miles per hour early Saturday, it didn’t take long for the embers from a fire that began around 9:30 a.m. in a Manorville backyard, “following an attempt to make s’mores,” to ignite multiple brush fires that would grow to burn 600 acres in the Westhampton pine barrens. Suffolk County police arson detectives reached the conclusion after first reviewing 911 call from the hours leading up to the incident.

Mar 13, 2025

Ups and Downs in Annual Police Report

East Hampton Town police made fewer overall arrests last year, but more arrests for driving while intoxicated — another year that has led Chief Michael Sarlo to say that “we live in an extremely safe community.” 

Mar 13, 2025

On the Police Logs 03.13.25

Low-flying drones were reported flying over Deep Hollow Ranch on the evening of March 3. Police saw their lights blinking red and white, but no action was taken. 

Mar 13, 2025

 

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