A pecan tree disappeared from a front yard, but what happened and why?

[@Nothing-zw3yd]

Check every single BBQ joint in a 20 mile radius that uses pecan wood. I'm not being facetious.

[@iloveschicken6527]

You're spot on there!

[@TheFeralFarmgirl]

Or maybe a lumber company. Those trees looked like they would make good lumber for flooring or veneer.

[@wendybutler1681]

My first thought was that someone wanted pecan wood. This was a crime. Circumstances are creepy AF!

[@TheFeralFarmgirl]

@@wendybutler1681 I honestly feel like this will be more common. I have some theories, but it is a new thing. A whole grove of old birch were also decimated recently. Birch is the wood you need to use as an underlament for wood floors in certain situations.

[@sherryditzler7908]

This was intentional. It should be reported as a theft. They appeared to look like a company keep hoods up boys and keep faces clear of cameras. Ask around for surveillance footage near by neighbors? Gas stations etc. .

[@pepsilove6306]

this scam happens ALOT. I own a lawncare company and I get probably 30 messages a week asking me to give quotes to mow lawns, cut down bushes and tree's and when I ask when we can meet to give a quote they say they are out of state, or claim to be a property management company for someone who is outta country and my answer is "if someone isnt there to talk to me in person and prove they own the house or have property management rights, I'm not touching nothing." I've given it the nickname "lawn swatting" cause it does a ton in property damage to homeowner, lost revenue for the company, and in some cases gotten people killed for being on property they thought they were invited to be on.

[@TheGrumpyOldWitch]

Like that nickname "Lawn Swatting" because it's very accurate!👍

[@adotintheshark4848]

ask for payment first

[@johncameron4194]

Wow

[@pepsilove6306]

@@adotintheshark4848 even then I wont do it, to much liability, if the person isnt on site to prove they own the property I'm not touching it.

[@adotintheshark4848]

@@pepsilove6306wise.

[@jengibs]

The owners need to start their suspect list with EVERYONE who knew they were going out of town.

[@themobseat]

@1:46 The phone has a Spanish message at the top.

[@MartinD9999]

That’s because the company hired has Spanish speaking workers.

[@SalisburySnake]

@@themobseat The owner of the phone determines the language, not the sender of the text.

[@ezzyalvarez7206]

Ok Nancy drew...

[@dens3096]

It’s easy. The place is on the listing for sale. Without trees the price goes down. As she mentioned in the beginning the trees provide a selling point! I assume it was also an act of revenge. Something fishy and the Owners KNOW why!

[@davidbandler]

It's tree poaching - the whole "anonymous text" is just to cover them if they get caught. Pecan wood has extremely high value on the market right now. Pay attention to how carefully the first tree was cut-down... It was logged. Trees do get stolen. Forestry crimes, especially urban/suburban forestry crimes, are the least widely known about agricultural crimes and forms of theft - something that would even leave most local Law Enforcement scratching their heads over. The tree removal needs to get reported to their local Natural Resources Officer.

[@ragepie292]

Yes I am sure the people that cut down the tree knew that the family was out of town and they even cleaned up afterwards. What crack are you smoking?

[@greenbyrdd8308]

Oh wow. Didn't even think about that, but Pecan wood is beautiful and probably very valuable. My heart goes out to the family. What these scammers did was unconscionable.

[@45s262]

The tree company is innocent.. they got pranked.. over the last 4 years, I've received these EXACT same text messages to my business phone here in oregon..

[@donnyd311]

Well the only hole in your theory is that the texts were shown were from a second tree company that had been contacted, not the one that cut the tree down.

[@prooveditt4839]

1st thing I thought of, how much would that tree be worth? Pecan is how much sq.ft?

[@digibyteorjustnibble9486]

How did they know you were going to be out of town?? Neighbors

[@jengibs]

DEFINITELY one of the neighbors! or someone who knew they were going to be out of town. Somebody close to them did this to them.

[@jansmith3158]

How did the tree company get paid???

[@Marvolo14]

People put their whole lives on social media. They probably posted that they were going out of town, and the culprit saw that post. Word of advice, never put your vacation plans on social media. It's an open invitation for thieves and troublemakers.

[@jansmith3158]

@@Marvolo14 Who paid for the tree company to take down the Tree?!?!? FOLLOW THE MONEY.

[@arishem555]

most likely it is proxy company. one big company getting traffic to their landing pages and then ordering local companies to make the job.@@jansmith3158

[@jillforeman7369]

Consider: the trimmers have not come back demanding payment. So. They got paid. The posting was for BOTH trees, but, only one was carefully culled before the owners became aware. Clearly the responsible party has knowledge of the family schedule and the money to pay for the service. I suspect there is an option that the tree was " poached" for its excellent wood. So, possibly the trimmer company is professionally connected to the final resting place of your beautiful tree. The wood has to dry before it can be used. Keep the posting going on social media. . These guys might be from out of town and exposure will be their downfall. Shake the tree hard enough and the nuts will fall out

[@no1nderwhy]

It might be a neighbor. Saw the son stop in. Or got word of the son nearby. This kind of stuff doesn't happen, off the cuff. Someone knowing/ snooping into your private life, Can organize something like this. The tree people knew it too. Cause if the order was for both trees. They would have gone back.

[@cousin_JACK]

Definitely the across the street neoghbor No doubt

[@veramae4098]

Pecan lumber is valuable.

[@sunii4264]

That's my thought.🤔

[@animagflip]

😮

[@thehellyousay]

they didn't buck up the trunk or put it through a hopper, did they?

[@TEM14411]

That was my thought as well. I had a home with 5 pecan trees....so many people commented on them. I had people stop to ask about pecans.

[@LegaciesRetrieval]

10,000 a tree or more

[@cherylrleigh1912]

I was raised amidst the splendor of pecan, apple, and peach trees. These bountiful trees yielded an abundance of fruits, essential ingredients for countless pies and preserves. Their presence was cherished deeply, and any mishap involving them would have been utterly devastating to us.

[@zarb88]

arnt a lot of ornamental trees sterile. for instance my redwood tree produces no cones

[@mikemondano3624]

So very sad. It must be hard living so unstable a life that a few trees could bring it all to naught.

[@Largo-y]

​@@mikemondano3624You sound like a 8 year old, who's never been allowed outside.

[@mikemondano3624]

@@Largo-y I'm sorry you know that. Was it your child, or you yourself?

[@suzKawasaki]

@@mikemondano3624people like you serve no purpose on this earth

[@direktive4]

what kinda contractor just does a job sent over text before any sort of payment is made?

[@LCx829]

Yeah it’s weird.

[@Love-bo3df]

How do you know they weren’t paid?

[@sandasturner9529]

An unprofessional contractor

[@b_uppy]

He likely made the mistake and so sent out the second text to cover his rear and deflect suspicion from him. He just looks like a victim now, too...

[@temujinkhan6326]

@@sandasturner9529 are you a contractor?

[@conky221]

A wind storm took down our plum tree and I cried. Can’t imagine coming home to this.

[@machinegunangel]

I’m so very sorry for your loss. My trees are my family.

[@texasbluegrass567]

It's a scam. A woman came home to find her driveway gone in Florida. Yes, her concrete driveway was gone. The contractor is usually small mom and pop contractors that accept checks that are later "mistakenly" overpaid. The contractor is conned to send them the extra money back only to see the original check wasn't good to begin with. Homeowner and contractor scammed.

[@gungho1284]

Anyone with half a brain waits for a check to clear before doing anything, especially cash refunds, but also the job work.

[@ROSESnROT]

Here in Georgia, this family came home from a vacation, and their iron fence was gone.

[@texasbluegrass567]

@ROSESnROT The only way to stop it is for contractors to verify checks. Seems like a no brainer.

[@turnerturner3281]

@@texasbluegrass567 Right? I'm surprised people even still accept checks these day. At the very least, the check ought to be cleared before work begins?

[@javierm3312]

I believe you're right. Scammers like to use the phrase " Thank you for your prompt response" in their messages.

[@jolaharvel7852]

We had a similar thing happen to us. Came home one day and saw a big red X spray painted on our oak tree in the front yard. We didn't think much of it because it looked like the process that happens when the county is going to remove a tree for whatever reason and we didn't particularly like the tree anyway. A few days later we came home and the tree was gone. One thing we did notice was that the elm tree right next to it was still standing and that tree was half dead. So we called the county people about removing that one too and they told us they didn't do that because out where we live, it was considered our property all the way to the road and we'd have to make arrangements with a tree company to remove it. When we questioned them about the oak tree being mysteriously removed, they didn't know anything about it. All we can figure is that oak is an expensive wood (elm is not) so somebody probably wanted it for the wood.

[@DogeMcLovin]

That's a shame - pecans taste real good. Also that text message they showed is a screaming red flag!

[@mikemondano3624]

"Real good"? How good, exactly? Good enough that you'd want your own tree? Have you recently made a pecan pie? Can we smell your breath?

[@Jason-rn4jk]

Can we get a dna analysis of your stool sample? I believe you are the one who stole the tree.

[@ktraxD]

🤣

[@texican512]

I used to pick pecans from wild pecan trees in my backyard, I’ve made pecan pies and pecan butter so good. I also save discarded pecan shells as smoking chips for bbq 😋

[@DogeMcLovin]

@@mikemondano3624 Pies, muffins, fudge, you name it! The loss of that pecan tree is a true tragedy!

[@loopymcgeee3939]

We lived in southern Oklahoma and ordered gutters to be installed. The company came out while we were at work and inadvertently put the new gutters on the house across the street. That was a costly mistake for them, the next week they came back and did our house. A little different than this story but companies dont do their due diligence.

[@Lit_Frosty_RL]

People aren’t perfect and neither are you. Honest mistakes happen they made it right. Why are you whining

[@Largo-y]

​@@Lit_Frosty_RLWhy are you so rude?

[@loopymcgeee3939]

@@Lit_Frosty_RL not whining, just stating facts. Why are you so angry?

[@dawsie]

@@Lit_Frosty_RLyour right people are not perfect, your a prime example of that issue right now.

[@Lit_Frosty_RL]

@@dawsie I’d love to see you run a business and never make any mistakes. They came back and made it right and a neighbor got a free job. Ok Mr perfect 😂 Self-righteous people like you are insufferable.

[@RioSul50]

Call the police and get a report. The police should be able to track down those responsible by the phone number used to contact the tree service company the home owners spoke with.

[@lauraelliott6909]

It's a bogus phone number.

[@davidb2206]

@@lauraelliott6909 Yeah, that don't matter anymore. FBI, NSA, and even the phone company CAN track you, regardless. They can find this criminal evil moron who doesn't deserve to live amongst us.

[@williamcoate9491]

@@lauraelliott6909 Some police have cyber divisions and resources that could uncover the source of the phone call. Considering the fact that this person literally went to the neighborhood and took a picture of the house with the two trees there could be security video that has not been uncovered or reviewed. They really should make a police report anyways because the perpetrators destroyed their property.

[@ponylovermadden4560]

SCAMMER prob in India or Nigeria. Bad phone number didn't you hear them say this?

[@RioSul50]

A person in India would not even know a tree was growing on a US property let alone care about it unless they could make money. It has to be either a tree service company wanting their competitors to get sued OR an angry neighbor.@@ponylovermadden4560

[@kaycampbell8532]

That's very disturbing. I can only imagine how upset the homeowners are. It takes years for a tree to mature to their full beauty. I get upset when I lose one due to a storm but this is far worse.

[@stevebeimler2579]

Everything about the USA 🇺🇸 is literally going nuts 🌰!!!

[@conky221]

Good one

[@terri-marielissiak1842]

Same here in UK its crazy

[@thebeez9487]

By design

[@edcapp7654]

Cops took it before any nuts fell from it

[@bullyboy131]

Removed Jesus, and replaced with crazy

[@elizabethwolfgang4017]

The trunk wasnt ground up? I wonder if the tree removal services figured out they were scammed & are avoiding going back. Tree Law is a big deal! The $$$ amount to replace a similar tree is unbelievable!

[@ponylovermadden4560]

OMG you can NOT replace a full grown 100 foot pecan tree. Buy a little one and wait 50 years.

[@bunjijumper5345]

Funny how people like you get upset about a damn tree, yet care nothing about abortion. You care more about trees than children. Jesus is coming.

[@Thoreau-e4l]

That tree would be valued at mabe $50,000.00 you can get a very large tree planted, not 100ft tall but mabe 50feet tall, judging from that stump it was not close to 100ft tall.​@@ponylovermadden4560

[@MonkeyNoHands]

that is false. pls do some research on large tree transplants @@ponylovermadden4560

[@davidbandler]

The tree was stolen for lumber theft; the texts were probably fake to cover the crew. Pecan is high-value wood. Often those stumps are left to dry (& die) a little bit before they come back and do a total removal to harvest what burl or slab-wood (cookies) might be left. As close as that tree was cut to the crown, it was logging not tree-removal.

[@Jeff-kp5ng]

Tree law is fucking nuts, whoever did this is gonna get a life changing reality check that sets them back their entire retirement.

[@michellewaclawski4561]

What’s tree law?!?! I’m curious

[@j.moneyfilms]

​@@michellewaclawski4561need a permit to cut/trim trees. Im not sure if it varies by state, but thats how it is here.

[@mikewilson6940]

Don't know about Texas law but in other states you can be fined depending on the tree. Trespassing and damage to property has already been done but removing A tree can possibly land you with a heavy, heavy fine. Like bankruptcy levels of money to be compensated.

[@Ayverie4]

Don't F with other people's trees. You can't pay what it truly costs, should the govt require it of you.

[@williamfoster4268]

@@michellewaclawski4561 Tree law is serious business. I wouldn't be surprised if the company responsible ends up forking out 6 figures after the lawsuit is filed and settled.

[@volcrazy89]

That tree cutting company definitely didn't do their due diligence. The way I see it, she could easily sue them for the cost of replacing that tree. And given the size, it would take a mature tree which would mean lots of money.

[@davidbandler]

It was stolen for it's wood value. But if you want to talk law suits, Pecan trees are also grown for their nuts. You wouldn't sue for the value of the tree, you sue for the value of the nut harvest over 50 years. Premium, organic small-farm pecans currently can cost up to $13.66 per pound. One tree can easily produce at minimum 50 to 150 pounds per harvest. Each year that tree would yield $683 minimum; over 50 years that's $34,150 minimum in pecans. Or... Pecan is worth $8+ per linear board feet.

[@AliciaGuitar]

If the ppl are caught they will have a HUGE fine. My ex crashed his truck into a tree like that and had to pay tens of thousands to replace it.

[@lantlavoer6653]

People are going nuts these days.

[@alphaomega5909]

I see what you did here,lol. 😅

[@robertgadziola1601]

Nuts over pecans.

[@Binknew]

😊

[@UpUpDnDnLtRtLtRtBAStart]

@@robertgadziola1601you just killed the joke.

[@yvonnescholey8972]

😂😂😂

[@StonedBarbiee]

Wowwwww that’s so sad it was so pretty on each side

[@RoseNZieg]

it sounds like the owners need have sue the company for not doing their due diligence.

[@WizzardofOdds]

They have no idea who the first company was and when the second tree trimming company contacted them, the text the second company got was from a California number and said that they were not in the state and wanted them both removed. The number does not exist.

[@bonjovirocks24]

The owners know who it was or at least WHY. The first company was paid. Their house is on the market to sell. The trees add to property value. This is fishy, yes, but only to us.

[@CommentsAllowed]

This is actually not about the tree, but is really about a scammer doing a fake check scam against the tree service. Fraudsters issue you a check or money order worth more than the amount owed to you and instruct you to wire the excess funds back to them before receiving your lump sum payment. After you've sent the money, you find out that the check or money order is bogus. And is this case, they have already cut down the tree before they "find out that the check or money order is bogus".

[@Wazupiseeyou]

@@CommentsAllowed. Indeed.

[@Distress.]

Yeah that tree is worth thousands of dollars not including sentimental value. I hope they contacted the police because of they found the company theyd have to pay compensation

[@jaklg7905]

The company didn't cut it down without getting a credit card. Find the company and trace the card

[@Missunderstood103]

Testing. Seeing how much they can get away with. Where they can. This is dangerous. There should be a full investigation on the tech, with the companies, everything.

[@levelup843]

It's a scam that preys upon unsuspecting contractors. Often involving homes that are listed for sale, but look vacant. The scammer will request work over the internet, such as: exterior painting, landscaping, driveway, etc, and pay with a check. The scammers often set the price by saying, "would $18,000 be enough to cover the painting?" All this communication is either happening by phone, or through digital means. Usually whatever price the scammer says, will be attractive enough for the contractor to want the project. Then the scammers, who say they're out of town, will have someone drop off a check, but it'll be for more than the agreed upon amount. This is the hook of the scam, since the scammers will request that overage be paid back. Usually it'll be $1000-$2000 overage, and the contractor will give that back. All this happens before the contractor realizes the "homeowners" check bounces.

[@roninboxers]

That actually makes the most sense of any comment here. (The only other thing that could make sense is if the neighbours hated the tree and quietly got rid of it)

[@levelup843]

@@roninboxers the fact other contractors keep coming out is a telltale sign of the scam as well. Happens all the time, but rarely hits the news. Search "Florida homeowner had driveway stolen." Its the same scam. I helped explain it to that news outlet as well 👍

[@joannastasia]

How would the scammers know these people were out of town

[@levelup843]

@@joannastasia the scammers target homes for sale, they review the online photos, and I'm guessing they take an educated guess on if it's vacant. Never seen this scam run on a home that wasn't listed on the MLS. This scam is often tried monthly, if not weekly, with most contractors. I've seen it myself countless times

[@lelaine61]

😳That is not cheap to just have someone cut a tree down, so either the cutters have been paid which that was an expensive hating tactic or they will be by to collect like she said which normally is done at least half up front. Definitely a disturbed person has an eye on her property👀

[@MartinD9999]

No, you’re thinking more than you should. Yes, I said that. This was done to get their hands on the lumber. Pecan, cherry, white oak, etc… are expensive. They hired a company to cut it and deliver it to a local where they were paid. The tree and the lumber it provided is long gone. This isn’t some mysterious psycho in a van creeping around the neighborhood.

[@dacrib5350]

​@@MartinD9999I was thinking that too like someone drove by and said damn that's a nice pecan, or a neighbor had their eye on it forever. Once the chance came up they jumped on it. They for sure were paid already or in on the actual job, which was to extract lumber or make artisanal furniture (crazy expensive market as well).

[@williamwallace2325]

Doesn't explain how the perps would have known the residents were on vacay. Otherwise quite plausible. Thank you@@MartinD9999

[@SgtJoeSmith]

@@MartinD9999 the scammer sent a bad check for more than the amount for the fake job. contractor puts it in bank, sends check back for over payment. does job. check bounces. old scam. same as stolen driveway. contractors are dumber than ever now cause its shitty greedy employees becoming contractors to get rich quick.

[@jayhache5609]

It was probably a scam that preyed upon unsuspecting contractors. This often involves homes that are listed for sale and look vacant, and uses photos taken from a real estate site. The scammer will request that work be done, such as tree removal, exterior painting, landscaping, driveway, etc, and pay with a check. The scammers often set the price by saying, “Would (X amount) be enough to cover the work?” Usually, whatever price the scammer says will be attractive enough for the contractor. Then, the scammers, who say they're out of town, will have someone drop off a check, but it will be for more than the agreed upon amount. This is the hook of the scam, since the scammers will request that the overage be paid back. Usually it will be an overage of $1000-$2000, and the contractor will give that back. All this happens before the contractor realizes the “homeowner's" check has bounced. Thanks to @levelup843 for the explanation, if not his generosity. Too bad the family lost a beautiful and valuable pecan tree, just so some scumbags could make an easy buck.

[@mzme6281]

They should check their deed! It could be someone stole their property & is trying to sell it. Something is definitely wrong with this picture!

[@andrewj9831]

Can't the police review cameras in the area for a lic plate?

[@jackieraulerson2005]

I bet a lot of residents have cameras and could lend support. I’d be using the top of my garage as a tree stand.

[@KD-nk3ht]

​@jackieraulerson2005 Dollas to donuts you sets up on the top of yo garach an smokes creck cocains knowin you.

[@vulcan2882]

This same thing has happend all around the country, one Karen didn't like her neighbor and had all their trees and bushes cut down. Another one had a tree service company cut their tree down and then charged then a couple of thousand dollars when nobody even called them. That one was a scam and the tree cutter got something like 5 years in prison for fraud.

[@jayhache5609]

This was a scam on the contractor, who is unknown according to the video. So, no charges against them, if they can’t find them.

[@KevinHudson-q7i]

Some one knew they would not be at home.😮

[@lonnarheaj]

A tree of that size holds a high value, and the act of cutting that tree down was not only trespassing to commit property damage but also a criminal act of vandalism. I hope several people go to jail and pay hefty fines over this one!

[@reesedaniel5835]

Yep including the local power company that probably instigated it.

[@saragorn5033]

I'm no expert but I imagine the lumber yielded by that pecan tree could fetch a pretty penny

[@nancyneyedly4587]

Tree cutting companies cut down trees in smaller quite useless pieces as it is too expenisive and tricky to cut it down in ways to be used as proper "lumber'.

[@RudesMom]

@@nancyneyedly4587 It doesn't need to be "lumber" to be valuable. Woodworkers, crafters, bbq places don't need lumber size pieces.

[@davidbandler]

$8+ per linear board feet currently.

[@nancyneyedly4587]

@@RudesMom I agree. I have looked into this for a tree on my property. They cannot cut it into lenghts for usable lumber for building but yes there could be pieces a craftsman may want, for fires etc. But you are then responsible for trying to get rid of that. You would have a pile of very large pieces in your yard and you would have to find someone willing to come and get it and that isn't a guarantee. This is why so many people just let the company haul it away.

[@RudesMom]

@@nancyneyedly4587 In this case, I'm betting on someone wanted that wood and the company that did the job was in on it.

[@MartinD9999]

This was done to get pecan tree lumber. The company hired dropped off the tree trunk for the customer and they got paid already. They won’t return.

[@ThePainkiller3666]

We Swatting on trees now?

[@stevegonzo2091]

Seriously! It sure sounds like it. Crazy times.

[@dw7922]

I did wonder if this is a prank by someone the son plays games with online.

[@thehellyousay]

this was someone f**king with the family. as she said, they're scared to leave their home now.

[@mlong9475]

That's what I was thinking.

[@sterileneutrino2288]

That's what I was thinking. The son probably knows more than he's willing to say.

[@Cj-en4fj]

This breaks my heart. Trees are such a gift. Decades and centuries-old for us to enjoy. This was just cruel, and it should be criminal. File a police report. They can trace the company that showed up to someone's house and cut down a tree without confirming the homeowner or receiving a payment, as well as the digital signature of who sent that text to that shady ass company.

[@zaram131]

Well in Missouri, CoMo Electric will come and cut down trees in your yard with no permission and completely against your will. One man tied himself to his tree and they still cut it down! They cut down some really beautiful trees in our yard. We were so upset but they don’t care.

[@davidb2206]

That is within the right-of-way. LOOK at your deed when you buy the house. The utilities have every right to trim trees whenever they want. It's a public safety issue. You have no more say in this than for a public sidewalk or roadwork in that right-of-way.

[@lenitaa7938]

​@@davidb2206Then it ought to be done respectfully and owners compensated!

[@davidb2206]

@@lenitaa7938 You don't own the right-of-way. There is no compensation for that.

[@davidbandler]

​@@lenitaa7938 In many States, you also cease to own whatever parts of your plants grow across your property line, and the adjacent property owners have every legal right to trim anything within their property without notice to anyone else. Meaning they can legally trim your tree back. Their only legal limitation is that they cannot trim anything to an extent or in a manner that would cause permanent damage resulting in disease or death to your plant. The law recognizes that you can only own nature when nature is completely immovable and anchored and that you cease to own said nature if it moves to someone else's property. This is why you can't own wild animals or the actual water that flows over the ground or the sky above you. And at a certain depth, you may not even actually own the earth under your land or the minerals contained therein.

[@LukeJaywalker-c8t]

I remember a tree removal job where I was contacted remove trees on a property where the "owner" just happens to be unable to come out and meet to discuss the job. Actually it has happened more than once. One time I actually went out and looked at one of those jobs and nobody was there but there actually was a realtor sign. I called the number on it and the person who answered confirmed my suspicions that the job request was almost certainly fraudulent. I don't know what the motivations are for this kind of scam. I always try to meet with the owners on the site to fully evaluate all the work in the yard including issues the owner hasn't spotted yet and I do those evaluations for free so when the owner doesn't want to meet I consider that a big red flag.

[@TheGrumpyOldWitch]

Don't know if they are selling their home or not by the sounds of it they are. Most likely someone saw the house for sale online, and decided they could possibly get it cheaper if the trees weren't there and so decided to have them cut down by pretending to be the owner. If I were those people I'd have the listing taken down and take the house off the market! And if they aren't selling it.... they sure did piss someone off! Because to me it almost sounds like some sort of revenge tactic!

[@IceLynne]

It shows sale pending in upper left corner. Maybe the person purchasing the house wanted to get a jump start on landscaping? 🤷‍♀

[@stevegonzo2091]

It sounds like somebody from out of state that is interested in buying the home. I believe they did this because the tree was obstructing the front view of the home. Pretty crazy. It takes some real nerve to order tree trimming on a home that you don't own yet!

[@Vera-td6ku]

The trees on your property do not change the price of your property. It goes by lot size and square feet And nearby surrounding property sales of like property in the area. My parents neighborhood was in an old Pecan orchard. They had big old Pecan trees in front and back yard. I sure miss not having Pecans in my freezer ready to bake with all year around. Actually have a PO ecan tree in my yard now that was a baby one that popped up from there. My mom planted it here when my son was a year old. So the tree is 27 yrs old now.

[@thehellyousay]

@@Vera-td6ku yeah, trees do affect price. having trees increases the value of the home. so do views.

[@Distress.]

​@@Vera-td6kutrees are crazy valauble actually

[@wb5408]

I just watched a news clip, a few weeks ago, about a company doing the same thing to someone's driveway-just came and demolished it. It was pretty much the same story! What kind of crazy scam is going on? And investigators need to prioritize it in order to squelch it before it gets worse!

[@SgtJoeSmith]

the scammer sent a bad check for more than the amount for the fake job. contractor puts it in bank, sends check back for over payment. does job. check bounces. old scam. contractors are dumber than ever now cause its shitty greedy employees becoming contractors to get rich quick.

[@reesedaniel5835]

The contractors destroying property should be required by law to RESTORE SAME!!

[@motleyassortment5512]

I don't understand how you just cut down somebody's tree on somebody's property without knocking on the door to speak and get the homeowner's permission?! Is it somebody that went door to door to solicit business and homeowner refused, they got mad and decided to pay them back for not agreeing to the job?

[@marcuslinton310]

They literally showed the discussion where the person said they were out of town. Why would the company knock on a door where they person said they were out of town? Now, a responsible company would simply deny the job and say they cannot do it until some kind of real proof of property ownership is given.

[@volcrazy89]

Sounds like the tree company didn't do their due diligence. Had they done so, it wouldn't have happened. They're liable for this happening and she could easily sue them for the cost of having a new one put in.

[@temujinkhan6326]

@@volcrazy89 what due deligence? when you get a call saying you need a tree cut in one of your rentals and they paid what question would you ask yourself? I mean would you pay $2,000 to cut your neighbors tree?

[@maximilian9295]

It's texas, it happens all the time. All the time, and who uses "tree companies" in Texas? It's like this, see ad, text for info, when do you want job done, pay on cash ap, jobs done. 25 bucks gets your whole yard cut. It is texas, not massachusetts.

[@SJLamb-te3dt]

Most arborists and tree removal services are legally obligated to have the homeowner, or someone who has legal permission to speak on their behalf on site as they do the work in my state. Provided that the tree being removed is near a dwelling anyway. The power company has the right to trim/remove any tree interfering with their lines though. I think the county also has the power to deem trees dangerous and have them removed if they are a risk to pedestrians and traffic. It is strange that two pecan trees would be removed from private property though. I know that the wood of pecans is quite valuable so perhaps it was theft.

[@elitesflowers-floristshop.3616]

If something like this happen to me, I could cry by MONTHS! This is super sad….

[@razatlab100]

Sounds like a job for Scooby and the gang, bring on the mystery machine. 😂

[@janeclayton151]

hilarious....bring on them "Darn kids" so whoever is responsible doesn't get away with it.

[@Truchrissy76]

🤣😂🤣

[@kvhowells]

😂😂😂

[@MrWc867]

And when they are caught ? "I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for those meddling kids"

[@Yaya-nc2eh]

But first! A Doobie with Scooby... 🚬 ☺️

[@davidolson8559]

This was cut down for the wood. A mature pecan tree that has reached full production is typically valued between $2,500 and $3,000. Check the places they are selling it.

[@Cmunic8]

It’s a scam…the tree cutting services were scammed and lost money from the person who scheduled the services to be done…it’s been happening with driveways in FL

[@elizabethibrahim2181]

They are selling the pecan wood! Have you looked up the prices they charge for pecan wood slabs, blocks etc.

[@joekulik999]

This is life in the Internet Era when you do business with someone without ever meeting them in person.

[@mattd5681]

Yeah and monetization of SM 😢

[@meatybtz]

It doesn't matter if the tree cutters were faked into it or not. It was still tree poaching. They should be bonded and insured and they, the tree cutting company, owes you a replacement of the same age/value. Which is a LOT more than people think. A Pecan that age, maybe what, 50-60K USD at least? This is most likely an actual crime though, Tree Poaching. But it still doesn't matter if it was or not as far as the company liability. The company is liable, they will pay up, or take them to court, but you might want the police to investigate for tree poaching. The cutters owe the family a tree of equal age, size, and type. The reason tree poaching is highly likely is they didn't pick the older tree that has external flaws visible plus is too large to easily cut and run.

[@robertgadziola1601]

So they cannot ID anything from the video but the FBI can find people in a crowd from Jan 6th.

[@victorialawhon2251]

Insurrection "trumps" cutting down a tree

[@Zariel_999]

because the local police don't care enough to look at the security footage.

[@LSnium]

Im surprised companies like that don’t double check the address and knock on the door to speak with the homeowner before taking any action.

[@poquitodefe]

Shameful!!

[@Oscar-lu4ot]

One of the neighbours, usually the quiet one who never interacts with anyone. That is where I would be looking.

[@hermenutic]

Is the wood valued for any reason other than firewood?

[@SusieDaw-ix6pv]

Absolutely it is! Smoked meats take on a fabulous taste when smoked with pecan wood!

[@hermenutic]

@@SusieDaw-ix6pv I was thinking of cabinet making or furniture making. From the stump it looked like nice wood.

[@Jeff-kp5ng]

The “wood” isn’t valued, the live tree is in tree law. Understand it takes half a century to grow a tree this size and the fines in court for illegally cutting them down are MASSIVE. Often the judgements also require the defendant to replace the trees with something similar in size which is insanely expensive.

[@joycetheobald1717]

I have a pecan tree. They're kinda messy. Maybe a neighbor didn't like finding leaves or nuts in their yard. Just a guess.

[@baird5776mullet]

@@Jeff-kp5ng Who says the wood isn't valued for smoking meat? try and find some for sale for that purpose.

[@bwl4984]

Saw an old post on wood working forum from 2008 talking about this very thing. Supposedly Pecan trees have been targeted since way before referencing people going on vacations only to come back with their Pecan tree cut down. It must be worth something for someone.

[@mykillerkat5475]

I don’t understand why a tree trimming company would provide service without getting at least partial payment first. If the homeowner could somehow track down the tree company, they may be able to get some answers.

[@maximilian9295]

Probably did get paid and it was probably cheap, also its texas, nothings that official.

[@reesedaniel5835]

Probably because they got paid by the local power company to do it. The power company knows when people go on vacation because they spy on you through the "Smart" meters (SMART = Secret Militarized Armament of Residential Technology). That was the main reason they forced them down your throats a few years back, when the old analog meters worked perfectly.

[@mellowyellowmom7631]

I’m so sorry this happened to you! It’s a terrible loss!

[@b_uppy]

The first contractor sent the text to cover his rear when he realized his mistake. This prevents anybody from directing ire at him because they consider him a victim as well. Lets see if he has the chutzpah to try and bill for the removal...

[@FollowingfromafarBooth-jz4jq]

Pecan wood has value, finishing carpenters create beautiful work with it. Trees get stolen. Next street over had a huge healthy Cedar. A crew showed up and it was gone. Lots of seasonal neighbors in this area. The owners hadn’t contracted anyone for removal. Permits are mandatory also.

[@motleyassortment5512]

Where's the company information on the vehicle , no logo?!

[@elladoz1966]

These days there's alot of vehicles with no logo creeping around neighborhoods 😵‍💫.

[@nancyneyedly4587]

Another thing that could have prevented this is if the local district required a permit for tree removal. There would have been some intervention at that point.

[@melanief6113]

That's ridiculous! Why would someone do such a thing??

[@scottsent8120]

There's another youtube video about someone (in AZ, I believe), who was selling her home. Someone pulled the same scam, having a company tear out her driveway, supposedly in preparation to install a new one, and that company was coming after the homeowner for the money after they tore out her driveway, before installing a new one! It seems that someone is doing this for kicks, like years ago, when a guy would call up fast food restaurants pretending to be a cop and "ordering" the managers to detain and harass an employee. Stupid companies to fall for this "out of town homeowner" ordering a job without meeting or paying.

[@lifeS458]

Yes, it is a little crazy and boy. How'd anybody get away with this one?

[@ChakatNightspark]

Well, just make sure to sue the people who did cut the tree down, Cause they did so illegally. Even if the people thought they had a legit job, They should have double checked First. Also Don't Forget to Check about Tree Laws and get an Arborist to see about the Worth of the Tree. Cause in Court you Might be able to get double or even Triple the Value of the Tree. IE. The Total Value of the Tree could be around $30,000. so the Company could have to pay $60,000 to $90,000 in damages.

[@brettwalters-n4u]

Here in Montreal all the trees along the street within 5ft of the sidewalk belong to the city, so you can never cut down a tree easily.

[@SB_McCollum]

They need to be worrying about someone trying to sell their house out from underneath them in a scam, that fake listing is a huge problem. I'd be down at the courthouse records office today making sure they're notified someone other than them has listed their house for sale, that under under no circumstances should title or deed transfers on their property be accepted without verified documentation. I'd also find out from a lawyer if some kind of lien could be put on the property that would trigger direct communication with them before the title be declared free before a sale. (Borrow money from a family member with the house as collateral. ). There are scam artists submitting false paperwork and successfully obtaining title transfers. Houses can be stolen.

[@AliciaGuitar]

They should also freeze their credit

[@EnchantedSmellyWolf]

A pecan nut tree? Those are some rich nuts. Seeing that happen means they didn't want you to yield free pecan nut tree. Unless I am confused by another pecan tree type.

[@geedubb2005]

I have a pecan orchard in New Mexico. The price of nuts this year is horrible. A tree like that would only yield a few hundred bucks at best, but the price of firewood is high. It’s somebody that’s pissed at those people. That was an all day job. So much for a good neighbor!

[@rebeccaspratling2865]

​@@geedubb2005you're looking at it from the perspective of someone who sells them. To the homeowner, they're valuable. My walnut trees freed my family and they're more valuable to us than they would be a walnut farmer.

[@jamessimms415]

@@geedubb2005. Ever see the prices of pecans in the grocery store lately? For a pound of pecans, it’s easily $10-$15 per bag.

[@ridingwilding760]

Similar thing happened in Florida in January with a lady’s driveway. A company came and removed the concrete slab that was her driveway.

[@lasagnakob9908]

What is the actual point of this? I keep seeing people say it could be a scam, but who gains from removing a tree when the company doesn't communicate with the real homeowner? If it's a disturbed neighbor, they're awfully quiet about it aren't they? Usually feuding neighbors are very vocal. I guess it could be an attempt to lower property prices, but still, this is really weird.

[@lenitaa7938]

They meant a financial scam against the tree cutting company or/and the bank! Sending them a fraudulent check, etc!

[@CenturyHomeProject]

this is easy. The house that’s closest to the tree cut down is the one that did it. I live in Albany, Georgia. We have pecan trees everywhere. They put out a horrid pollen that sticks to your car. It can cause damage to the paint.I guarantee the homeowner next-door had the tree taken down.

[@peggyisme]

Who listed the house for sale?

[@lotstodo]

I remember a story where a family left for vacation but didn't tell their neighbors. Everyone assumed they left for good, and completely looted the house and garage, taking everything out of cupboards too.

[@Toad-In-A-Puddle]

That was a plot line on one episode of the 1970's cop show "Adam-12".

[@lotstodo]

@@Toad-In-A-Puddle "based on a true story "

[@goofygirl1311]

Could the husband or a nearby neighbor have been fed up with the mess from the trees and wanted them both taken down but knew the wife would never go for it? Only thing I can think of. So weird.

[@hughhughes7671]

In my opinion The same thing happened to our house. The only difference was that the tree service was questioning some things and called our realtor. The realtor called me I said no, no tree cutting. I called the tree service number, and he said the person only texted, sent a picture of the tree, and told them to remove the tree. That's when things didn't add up, so the realtor was called by the tree service. I still can't figure out why. What's the point.

[@nitahiltner3348]

I would not pay this bill if it came and would take the company to court for a NEW MATURE tree.

[@keitheepoo7253]

That reminds me of when these city workers came to trim branches near the electric cable on the street lights. So i thought they meant can they trim a few branches. I come back later and the whole effn healthy pine tree was cut down.

[@ShiningSakura]

This sounds like a scam I have been hearing about that's pretty old. The fact that other people have come out to cut down the other tree is proof of that. I have heard this is common with roofing jobs as well. The scammer contacts several contractors to do work and gives a bad check outright for over the cost of the work along with the address and whatever else they can come up with on public records like listing for a house to make it seem like they are the owner. They then contact them saying they overpaid and want the extra money to be paid back and the work done to some random person's home. The contractor if smart realizes they were lied to and doesn't do any work.... or in this case would do the work and then think the check was real and pays the scammer money back. The scammer disappears with the contractors money and now leaves the contractor scammed for services rendered, stolen money, and the unwitting homeowner is bombarded with unwanted work and sometimes it gets done when they are away and are left with destroyed property.

[@devpzextra]

Yup and I believe you're right about that woman with the drive way I remember seeing that and thinking who would pay to have that done at the wrong address.

[@priscillavelazquezs]

Still doesn’t explain how they knew to say they were out of state on a day when they really were out of state.

[@mediapcmurphy1356]

Yup, this sounds like the story that happened in Florida. Woman came home to find her driveway missing, turned out someone was hitting up contractors in her area trying to pull the same scam.

[@ShiningSakura]

@@priscillavelazquezs Lucky guess I suppose, the scammer doesn't really know and hopes the owners are at work at the time of day. The scammer needs an alibi as to why their area code on their phone and them in person cannot meet them. The owners said that their have been others coming around for the other tree that they did catch by the way things sound, so its plausible this is the case. Could also be something in the listing that makes it sound they are moving out of state or area looking for a house to move to themselves and would be great for the scammer to help keep the owners away from finding out about their work.... who knows.

[@talapeanutbutter4250]

It’s a sad scam that this happens a lot with tree companies or driveway companies being texted to cut down or remove the driveway. I can’t fathom any company doing work without a written contract.

[@dawnitalutz1953]

I costs a lot of money to have a tree cut down and taken away. I hope they find who did it.

[@williamwallace2325]

I've had several large oaks removed. Huge trees; hundreds of dollars, and the last time was maybe ten years ago. I'm sure it would be over a grand now. It would depend on the equipment and the type of labor involved, could they just FELL it, or would they have to first trim the upper boughs/limbs due to the confined space? Could one of those machines that raises a worker in a "buckety" be used, or would a work have to literally climb and rope himself to the upper parts of the tree to first drop large boughs so they fall in a direct, controlled, targeted fashion so as not to hit that house or adjacent one (they appear close?)

[@deborahcarter3300]

It’s possibly a scam. The person who ordered the tree to be cut sends the tree man a check for more than the agreed price on the condition the overage be sent to the homeowner. The check bounces and the tree man is out the amount he sends to the person who ordered the job. It happened to someone I know.

[@bobbullethalf]

You do not cut down trees, do you know how long it takes for a fully grown tree to develop? Plus, how can a neighbor cut down something on someone else's property? It seems like we have no more rules in society.

[@veramae4098]

I inherited 20 acres of about 75 year old red pine, now valued at $100,000. They were planted in the old cow pasture in memory of my Uncle Bill, killed in WW II. If you want to leave an inheritance to your grandchildren, buy cheap land and plant trees.

[@IndyPennCham]

That is awful. I'm so sorry that happened to ya'll. Hope the other tree is safe from the people who had the other tree taken down.

[@dens3096]

It’s easy. The place is on the listing for sale. Without trees the price goes down. As she mentioned in the beginning the trees provide a selling point! I assume it was also an act of revenge. Something fishy and the Owners KNOW why!

[@phyllismay4384]

The Pecan is our state Tree, and totally illegal to just cut down a viable tree that adds value. Especially a Pecan tree. How come the neighbors didn't come out to find out why they were cutting the tree down. We're nosey and my neighbors around me are nosey. At the first sound of a chain saw I would have been out talking to the workers.

[@cousin_JACK]

Hear her words; “ scared to death to leave the house. “. Her peace of mind has been stolen, along with any trust she shad of her neighbors after living there for half a lifetime. I was looking up videos for tree up lighting and to my surprise I am mortified as a fellow Texan. What a shame 😔

[@TheMakersMarkTSF]

The cops cut it down so that they do not have to get in a gunfight with a Pecan tree; the cops have already seen how dangerous the acorns from an Oak tree are and are sure they will be outgunned by the Pecan!

[@Specogecko]

I don’t think people realize that trees have estimated values, that contributes to property value. Larger and older the tree, the higher the value. These homeowners are gonna be seeking compensation for tens of thousands of dollars as they should be

[@shyodu2]

They probably stole it to use for a barbecue, Or sold it to someone that uses for barbecues.

[@williamwallace2325]

Does the risk v. reward calculation make sense? Paying a tree company hundreds of dollars to remove the tree for its raw timber to be transported, milled, wholesaled, retailed...? As lumber? As fire logs? As wood chips? Vs. committing a felony risking prison, fine, and life ruination?

[@neosapienz7885]

The contractors already got paid by the person who ordered the tree. I hope they find them and prosecute.

[@Mike-cv9rr]

They went to help the acorn, acorn has a whole police department after him

[@dragonshadow1902]

Any company doing landscaping, construction or destruction should not be starting the job until they speak with someone on the property from the house. No one jome, reschedule gor another day. Any company that does do this should be held accountable for damages until confirmation from a resident..

[@SusieDaw-ix6pv]

That tree was blocking someone's signal for their satalite dish for cable probably.

[@killermonjero]

Satellite dish for cable?

[@reesedaniel5835]

Possibly but more than likely it was blocking the 5G microwaves from adequately beaming and spying on that home. I'm going with the power company/govt thugs behind this one.

[@IlistentotheRadioRadioStereo]

Better start checking with the title company to see if the property is being exchanged home owners through some kind of trust or some deed exchange. If they have that property in a listing...chances are they are about to lose that property and not know it.

[@thegatesofdawn...1386]

Is it possible the neighbor?

[@ashleyf.3230]

No one is gonna show up to get paid because they already got paid with the tree if what a lot of you are saying is true that pecan wood is valuable the ones who were cutting it down are probably the one who post that bogus crap online. My opinion

[@WheelEstate]

The local police department took it. They were afraid their officers would mistake falling pecans for gunshots.

[@WheelEstate]

@@carollynt no I don't. I just think many of them shouldn't be cops. Many are afraid of their own shadows or are on power trips.

[@himhim3344]

This is just like that driveway that got removed from a house in Florida while the owner was away

[@obedhernandez-ii5fu]

Neighbors were fed up

[@robinmcgilvra8753]

Highly suspish that the workers all had hoodies up to hide their faces.

[@Anubissia]

Gotta be someone in the neighborhood whos picky w how things look and or knew theyd be out of town!