Suspect arrested in Bronx synagogue vandalism incidents
RIVERDALE, The Bronx (WABC) -- A suspect has been arrested and charged in a series of vandalism incidents at synagogues in the Bronx.
Jordan Burnette , 29, is facing several charges including burglary as a hate crime.
Police officers were on patrol around 3 a.m. Saturday near the intersection of Delafield Avenue and West 246th Street in Riverdale when they say they saw him riding a bike against traffic.
They stopped him and tried to write him a ticket, but police say Burnette became uncooperative and refused to provide proper identification.
He was taken into custody and brought him to a precinct for further questioning because he fit the description of the suspect in the string of vandalism.
Other officers then went back to the location to canvas the area.
They discovered a van with a broken windshield.
Police say video from a nearby security camera captured Burnette throwing a rock at the van.
They say the video also showed him leaving the parking lot of the nearby Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale.
At the synagogue the officers found books strewn about and a shed that had been broken into.
The groundskeeper for the synagogue confirmed the bike that Burnette was seen riding was stolen from the shed.
Police say Burnette is the suspect in all of the recent vandalism incidents.
They did not say what his motive was.
He scheduled to be back in court May 7.
The investigation is ongoing.
In all, Burnette is accused of throwing rocks at the windows of five synagogues.
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