Police are looking for two men accused of vandalizing two neighboring Brooklyn synagogues with graffiti within hours of each other – with one of the suspects getting caught in the act on camera.
Surveillance video released by the NYPD Monday shows a young man dressed in a black hoodie spray-painting a Jewish house of worship on West End Avenue in the Manhattan Beach section while casting sly glances.
Police also put out a photo depicting a second suspect dressed in all black, with much of his face obscured by a ski-style mask.
The act of vandalism captured on video and another similar incident targeting a temple located across the street happened after midnight on May 14.
According to the police, the suspects first defaced the Congregation Sha’arey Torah synagogue at 98 West End Avenue at 12:05 a.m., damaging it with paint.
Less than 3 hours later, the perps marred the wall of the Temple Beth El-Manhattan Beach at 111 West End Avenue.
The area boasts a large Jewish community and is dotted with multiple houses of worship, schools and day cares.
Officials have not revealed what was spray-painted on the synagogues but assigned the case to NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force.
There have been 235 hate crimes reported to the police since the beginning of the year, down 33% compared to the same period in 2022, according to the latest numbers from the NYPD.
