An antisemitic vandal in a surgical mask scrawled a swastika on a new commercial building in Staten Island, cops said Friday.
The suspect, who was also wearing a straw hat, drew the hate symbol at an Old Navy outlet on Richmond Terrace near Hamilton Ave. in St. George at about 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 23.
After painting the swastika, the vandal took the Staten Island ferry to Manhattan, where he was recorded on an MTA subway train.
The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating.
As of Sunday, the NYPD has investigated 240 hate crimes against Jews in the city this year, a 73% jump from the 138 recorded by this time last year. Cops believe many of the bias incidents were spurred by heightened tensions over Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas, which began Oct. 7.
Hate crimes against Jews in New York State jumped by 89% between 2018 and 2023, from 253 incidents to 477, a new study released by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli shows.
Last year 44% of all recorded hate crime incidents targeted Jewish victims, the report says.
The graffiti vandal is described as white, about 5-foot-9 and 140 pounds.
Anyone with information on the suspect in the July attack is asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
