Brisbane Coppers were a little shocked when a teenager was found with a stun gun which had been designed to look like a mobile phone. The weapon was found on an 18-year-old and had enough of a kick to knock down your average charging bull elephant, or Aussie rugby player having a quiet drink in his local boozer.

Coppers showed up to the park after people walking their dogs reported someone was tasering a tree. Since Brisbane has a strong green movement it was felt that this was being unnecessarily cruel to the tree which was having difficulty running away. When police arrived, he ran off leaving a very stunned looking bit of foliage, but was arrested after a short chase.

Logan District Officer Superintendent Alistair Dawson said the taser was a standard mobile phone which had been moded to hide a a stun gun. Apparently you had to look really hard to see that it was a weapon. Police say they don't know how the man obtained the device and are worried that there could be more on the street causing a grave threat to trees everywhere.

A Logan man is due to appear in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court on October 8 charged with possessing a restricted item and obstructing police. The Tree did not press charges.