Barrington police had to break up a fight between a Barrington resident and some tree company employees last week.

Police received a 911 call at about 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8 — a tree company employee told the dispatcher that a resident was entering a work zone at a Bluff Road house and wouldn't leave despite being told to.

An officer responded to the scene and spoke to the tree company employees. They said a neighbor to the property they were working at was entering a dangerous work zone, walking too close to a wood chipper and taking pieces of cut hardwood that belonged to the company.

The officer then spoke to the neighbor who said he had the permission of the homeowner to take the wood; a tree was being cut down on the property. The neighbor told the officer that he was trying to bring pieces of the wood from the work area to his property when the tree company employees confronted him. He said he had to force his way past the workers and claimed one of the workers pushed him. He also was complaining loudly about the tree company keeping all the wood and then jacking up the prices when they sell it as firewood.

Tree company employees said the neighbor was being verbally abusive and was not listening to their requests for him to avoid the work area.

Police eventually tracked down the resident who had hired the tree company. That person said he did tell the neighbor he could have the wood, if it was OK with the tree company. A tree company employee then produced the contract signed by the property owner, which said the company would take the wood once the tree was felled.

No one was charged.