Council bosses have launched a probe after granite pillars at the entrance to Aberdeen’s oldest park were damaged.
Members of local conservation group Friends of Victoria and Westburn Park reported the matter earlier this week.
One of the heavy blocks at the Watson Street opening to Victoria Park has been knocked over, while the other appears to have been tampered with.
Rosemount and Midstocket ward councillor Bill Cormie said he did not believe that vandals were responsible, and expressed fears it may have been a botched attempt at granite theft.
He said: “This was brought to our attention by one of the residents, who said that the pillars at the entrance were damaged.
“One has been completely knocked over and the other looks as if someone has attempted to remove it.
“It looks as if someone has used a crowbar to prise the top half away. Without jumping to conclusions, it looks as though somebody has been trying to take these pillars away. But they are impossible to lift manually, you would need a crane of some sort of lifting equipment.”
A city council spokesman said that officials were investigating the matter.
He added: “We are trying to determine the cause of this damage and will be making enquiries with staff and local residents.
“In the meantime, we will make arrangements to have the damaged section repaired.”
Meanwhile, police are hunting for two men in their late teens or early 20s after a series of slogans were spray-painted on walls in the west end of Aberdeen.
The slogans, urging a Yes vote in the independence referendum, were discovered on Saturday on walls at Osborne Place, Fountainhall Road and Queen’s Cross.
A similar incident occurred the previous week near Ashley Road primary school.
It is believed the pair may have photographed themselves in the act, and Inspector Ian McKinnon is urging the public to be on the lookout for any such pictures on social networking sites. One of the youths was wearing a grey jumper and the other a navy jumper.
An Aberdeen City Council spokesman said: “We are trying to determine the cause of this damage and will be making enquiries with staff and local residents.
“In the meantime, we will make arrangements to have the damaged section repaired.”
Anyone with information should call 101.