Fraternity members stole rare tree from US university arboretum, police say

The stump of a rare, 25-foot tall Algonquin Pillar Swiss Mountain pine tree which was cut down and stolen from the UW Arboretum in Madison, Wisconsin (Steve Apps/AP)

US police who were stumped by the theft of a rare pine tree in November from the University of Wisconsin Arboretum said that they have cracked the case.

UW-Madison police said three 19-year-old university students stole the tree as part of a “pledge” activity for the former Chi Phi fraternity, which has not been recognised as an official student organisation since 2015.