By COLlive reporter
A Jewish-owned vehicle was vandalized in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood over the last day of the Pesach holiday.
Even though there was nothing valuable in the minivan which was parked on the street for the duration of Yom Tov, the owner told COLlive, the car’s window was smashed.
The owner of the black Toyota Sienna parked in front of 520 Crown Street, between Kingston and Albany, said: “It was apparent that the car belongs to a Jewish owner because it had a photo album featuring Jewish kids displayed behind the front window.”
Last week, police officials warned residents to be on alert for violence in the aftermath of a fatal police shooting and subsequent protests in the neighborhood.
The family discovered their vandalized car at 12 pm on Sunday.
“My kids came running home, frightened and worried, to tell me about the smashed car,” the car’s owner told COLlive. “When we went outside we were shocked to discover our car in this condition.”
The owner was disappointed and shocked to find that the police did not respond for 7.5 hours after they were called.
The police only briefly appeared, the owner reported, and they did not look for fingerprints, also refusing to call the incident a possible hate-related crime.
“They refused to call it a possible hate crime, even though the car had no robbery-triggering items inside, such as a backpack or wallet. The windows were smashed for no apparent reason.
“Shmira volunteers told us they would try to obtain nearby security camera footage, which we are still waiting to see,” the owner said.
The photo album clearly shows frum people, and it looks like it was in plain sight. You do the math.
I see cars with smashed windows at least once in the neighborhood. Unfortunately I think some people just enjoy destroying other people’s property, if this wasn’t initially theft motivated (and they just didn’t see anything the wanted). I think calling any crime that happens to a frum person in CH a hate crime detracts from police response and attention in situations where there are true hate crimes.
Don’t be an ostrich with your head in the ground. You can’t rule out the possibility especially considering the very recent circumstances.
Just dealt with police they are terribly rude and non understanding and making u feel giulty for getting help after a crime such clear anti semitism
That’s why it’s called VANdalism….
get it…. the van
A van window was smashed, not a van
Also, not every crime that happens to a Jew is a hate crime, unfortunately there is crime in NYC
Yes it is a hate crime!! I park my car same block and for the 25 years NEVER had any issues!! Why would they break into the car? What is there to steal? No one keeps any cash or valuables there. Nothing was stolen, and plus what would they steal? A seat? Radio? There are cameras out there all over that block, but you bother to call it stam a robbery? I live my car door always open and nothing happens.
With our hard earned taxes. #1 and #2 (probably same person) must have their reasons for being blind.
The fact that there was a Jewish album does not make this necessarily a hate crime. Could have been general vandalism.
Why would this be a hate crime? Its NYC. Its just what happens. get on with life.