The art of bonsai began in China 2,000 years ago. (QMI Agency, file)

Police in Florida are searching for a thief they've dubbed the Bonsai Bandit after a man stole a $5,000 tree from the Lee County Election Center.

"With that kind of price tag, you know it wasn't just any old tree," police said.

The tree was in a custom-made display ahead of the annual Bonsai Show, held this past weekend in southwest Florida.

"As seen in the surveillance video, the male suspect simply picked up the tree and carried it away," police said.

It's believed he loaded it into a white Jeep or silver car. The suspect is described as white, approximately 6-feet tall with a heavy build.