Tacoma, Wash. — Tacoma police said a burglary was reported at a home that was severely damaged by a falling tree. One day after the tree came down, wrecking the structure, displacing its residents, and bringing down power lines, someone allegedly went inside and stole things.
Crews spent Friday afternoon removing the tree from the road, which had been closed for days. Work continued on power line repairs as of Friday evening.
KIRO 7 called in an expert to learn why things like this happen.
Beth Stock, owner of She Cuts It Tree Service, said the tree had multiple trunks, meaning it was only a matter of time before it came down.
“Lots of weight on top of the root system,” she said. “It’s like a heavyset person standing on one little leg. There are no real roots holding up all that weight.”
Stock said trees with multiple trunks need to be cut when they are young so they can grow healthy. Otherwise, a homeowner ends up with a poorly balanced tree that grows more dangerous with age.
“The taller they are, the more vulnerable they are to the wind,” Stock said.
It’s not the first such incident Stock has seen this week. She responded to a similar situation in Spanaway, where a triple-trunk tree nearly split a home in half.
Between the downpours and the windstorm, she said, arborists are spread thin.
“Excruciating,” she said. “My phone is ringing off the hook right now. Just, every call you get, you wonder what it’s going to be on the other side.”
Stock said there are a few signs your tree may soon fall beyond the multiple trunks: Trees that don’t sway in the wind are likely unhealthy and at risk of snapping. Uneven ground surrounding the base of a tree may indicate it is about to tip over. When in doubt, she recommends calling a professional.
Stock’s dealt with a lot of people who are going through it after the storms, but said it is extra painful to become the victim of a crime while already a victim of nature.
“It’s hurtful,” she said. “Just give a family a break.”
Tacoma police report no arrests in the burglary. So far, there is no word on a suspect.
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