“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.”