Arvada family searches for answers after tree was removed from their property
Usually, when you leave your home for the day, you expect to come home to find everything just the way you left it.
However, to one family's surprise that wasn't the case.
Joel Maxwell and his fiancée Mavianne Gideon are trying to make sense of what happened to the tree that was in their front yard last week.
Neighbors and the couple say they live on a busy street, but it is usually a very respectful neighborhood.
For the past few days, Maxwell has been checking his mailbox hoping to find some answers.
"We're like, 'maybe whoever did it feels bad and they don't know how to contact us,'" said Gideon.
Ring video from a neighbor shows the house before and after the tree was removed from their front yard.
Maxwell, his fiancée and kids didn't notice the tree was gone until Wednesday morning.
"I did a double take and thought, 'there is something missing.' and then I just ran inside and said the 'tree is gone,'" said Gideon.
The family is still in shock, but they do have a theory.
"Our best theory is that somebody called to get a tree removed and got it mixed up with the address and went to the wrong house," said Maxwell.
However, the mix-up is rare, according to a local tree expert.
Ring video shows two trucks right in front of the home and both seemed to be unmarked. Still, the tree removal service theory confuses the homeowner.
"You think that they would call the customer and say, 'we are at the right house' right? Do we proceed with removing the tree?' But they just showed up and took it down," said Maxwell.
The couple put the house up for sale almost two weeks ago. A week later they found this tree removed from their property. They just want to know who did this and why.
"Whoever buys this house now has this big hole in the ground," said Gideon.
The couple contacted the city of Arvada and they were told the city did not remove it.
Neighbors say they don't know much and are also confused.
The couple filed a police report and hopes to get answers sooner, rather than later.
"I think all the neighbors would probably say it is the weirdest thing that would ever happen here... if you ask around, I don't think anyone has had a tree taken out of their yard," said Maxwell.
CBS News Colorado also contacted Arvada police, and officers confirmed that there is a case report on file.
However, no leads as of last week. It is unclear if there was criminal intent or if it was a mistaken location.
