Cutting trees leads to arrest

by Terry Duffy
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, March 18, 2006

Lewiston Police reported this week that an arrest has been made from an earlier complaint alleging the removal of trees without permission from a private property on Ridge Road.

Police Sgt. Frank Previte reported that, following a complaint received on March 7, suspect Robert Beck, 57, of 1069 Escarpment Drive, was placed under arrest after voluntarily presenting himself at the Lewiston Police Department on March 13. Beck faces charges of trespassing and criminal mischief in the second degree. “Hopefully this will serve as notice to others that this type of crime will not be tolerated,” said Previte, of the incident which occurred late last year.

Previte, acting on a complaint received from a resident on the 1000 block of Ridge Road, stated the incident involved an “unknown person(s)” cutting down numerous trees on the Ridge Road property. Previte reported that the suspect apparently had also been visiting other properties and removing trees, with the intent of seeking to improve the view from his own property. He said that a ladder, apparently from the suspect’s property, was also found, providing access to the vandalized areas in question.

Beck, who was released on his own recognizance, faces a date in Lewiston Town Court on the charges.