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Large Trellis Stolen From East Sacramento Park

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — An arch trellis was taken from the memorial rose garden in East Sacramento in the middle of the night. Now a local-nonprofit hopes police can find out who took it.

"At first it just seems like it couldn't have happened because it's such an enormous operation," said Cecily Hastings, the co-founder of Friends of East Sacramento.

A theft early Saturday morning left Hastings in disbelief.

"I noticed out of the corner of my eye," Hastings said. "It looked like a branch has fallen over here."

It was a branch that was leaning around an 800-pound iron trellis that is now gone.

"Someone had cased this out and had brought a truck and a crew of people in order to take this thing away in the middle of the night," Hastings said.

The area was mess: one branch was destroyed and on the ground there were dead baby birds from a nest in the trellis.

"Well it makes me think that people will steal virtually anything," said Patrick Browning, who lives nearby.

The garden is a popular spot for families and couples, including Patrick Browning and his fiance.

"It's unfortunately sort of a travesty, they were all so similar and so beautiful and they pick one to take?" He said.

Hastings is a co-founder of Friends of Sacramento.

She says her group has been caring for the garden for the last 4 years with the help of more than 200 volunteers.

"The garden has been here about 80 years but the trellises are probably about 20 years old.

She estimates the value of the trellis to be $6,000 but doesn't think the person who took it wants to sell it.

"someone probably stole it to put in their backyard," Hastings said.

She just hopes the public will keep an eye out and that the trellis will pop up soon.

"Now we have 15, but we want that number 16 back," Hastings said "We're gonna find it!"

Sacramento Police are still investigating and the people responsible could face charges of possession of stolen property.

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