Vandals Destroy Lodi's Christmas Tree

FORESTHILL, Calif. (CBS13) A majestic Christmas tree waiting to be delivered to Lodi was destroyed by vandals, according to the disappointed owners of a Foresthill tree farm.

Jim and Ginger Armstrong, owners of Snowy Peaks Tree Farm, said they felt sick after discovering that the top eight feet of a 28-foot-tall tree was sawed off overnight while sitting on the back of a flatbed truck.

"There's anger and there's sorrow," Ginger said. "They're very special, very beautiful, very big old trees."

The recent snow storm forced Jim Armstrong to leave the tree on the truck and delay the delivery to Lodi. He had planned on delivering it Tuesday morning to the Lodi downtown square.

"I just felt really sad for the City of Lodi," Jim said. "Just disgusted with the people who would do that to such a beautiful object."

The giant tree took 35 years to grow, but is no longer good for anything except being expensive firewood. The Armstrongs lost $700 to the incident and are planning to deliver another tree to Lodi.

The victims believe the top of the tree is sitting in the suspect's living room.

"We're thinking he's going to get a very large lump of coal in his stocking," Jim said.

To make matters worse, customers can't cut their own trees at the farm because of the heavy snowfall.

The Armstrongs hope to reopen the Foresthill tree farm by December 4.