Bias investigation underway after New Rochelle businesses targeted with antisemitic graffiti
NEW ROCHELLE, Westchester County (WABC) -- In Westchester County, police are investigating a disturbing case of antisemitic vandalism at two stores in a Jewish neighborhood in New Rochelle.
Investigators say someone spray painted the words "genocide supporters" on the front windows of two businesses: Cheryl's Closet and Scoop Shop.
The shops are located in the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Plaza on Wilmot Road.
By Thursday morning the cleanup was underway but the impact was indelible.
Adam Deutsch owns Scoop Shop which displays a "We Stand with Israel" sign on it.
"Hard to believe, you hear it happens all over the place, but you don't think it happens in your back yard, let alone your own store," Deutsch said.
The suspect was caught on surveillance video painting the hateful messages just after 3:45 a.m.
The person, police believe might be a female, was caught painting the front of clothing store Cheryl's Closet.
Police discovered the graffiti a short time later while driving on routine patrol.
"We're trying to get surveillance video, any other witnesses that may have information for us, it's a work in progress right now, we're making some headway but we believe it happened in the overnight hours while the lot was desolate," said J. Collins Coyne with the New Rochelle Police Department.
The shopping center sits on the New Rochelle-Scarsdale border -- a largely Jewish community that is now rallying in the face of what police are investigating as a possible hate crime.
"We're not scared, we're determined to make sure stuff like this does not happen, it's not welcome in our community," said Jeff Kapelus with the Westchester Jewish Council.
So far, there is no word of any arrests.
"Our elected leaders, community organizers, our business leaders are standing together, shoulder to shoulder with our Jewish community and reflective of the true values of New Rochelle, which is to reject all hate, all antisemitism, all bigotry," said New Rochelle Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert.
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