Police are investigating after a John Deere excavator was vandalized near McLure, in a case where police think the suspect may have been taking out frustration about logging.

RCMP Corporal Rob Welsman says the incident happened near Knouff Lake and would’ve happened late Wednesday night or early on Thursday.

He says someone did about $30,000 worth of damage to the excavator, cutting wires, drilling holes and spray-painting profanity and the words “tree killer” on the machine.

According to police the owner of the excavator was cleaning up a site where logging had happened – and Welsman says whoever did the vandalism may have mistook the excavator for being involved in the logging industry.

He says fluids leaking onto the ground have now caused soil contamination concerns as well.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call police.