Homeowner Samih Shinway says he found 40 downed trees on his property, some of them 150 years old, and trees with their tops taken off, all of which he said were victims of “a hurricane of chainsaws.”
A New Jersey man wants his neighbor held accountable after he says the neighbor cut down trees on his property in a quest to get a better view of the New York City skyline.
Homeowner Samih Shinway tells Inside Edition he found 40 downed trees on his property, some of them 150 years old, and trees with their tops taken off, all of which he said were victims of “a hurricane of chainsaws.”
Shinway, 40, came home from work and heard chainsaws in the woodsy backyard he owns behind his home in Kinnelon, New Jersey.
“I said 'What are you doing?' and they said they were hired to cut trees down,” he tells Inside Edition. “They actually cut down a tree that had a 'No Trespassing' sign.
“In order to come here, they had to actively jump over the fence. Any time they wanted anything from their truck, they had to jump back over,” he says.
But Shinway hadn't hired anyone to cut down trees on his property. Instead, he says, it was his neighbor who had set out to clear the trees. The neighbor, identified as Grant Haber, allegedly wanted a better view of the New York City skyline, according to Shinway.
Haber is facing fines of $32,000, but that may just be the beginning of his troubles. He may also be required to replant the trees that were cut down. One estimate of that work is around $1.5 million.
A hearing in the case is set for July 18.
Inside Edition reached out to the neighbor who had the trees cut down but didn't hear back.
