STONEHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - Stoneham Police are investigating after a family came across a series of swastikas left on their lawn Tuesday morning.
The police department said that, at 8:46 a.m., they received a report of vandalism at a home on Whittemore Lane. Arriving officers soon started an investigation after they noted that “several paper swastikas with hateful language were left on the victim’s property,” according to a press release.
“There is no place for this kind of hate and bigotry in our community,” Stoneham Police Chief James McIntyre said in a statement. “Our detectives are committed to a full and thorough investigation, including any possible criminal charges against the party responsible.”
One of the family members who was victimized told 7NEWS she posted about the incident on social media, trying to see if anyone else had something similar happen to them. She said from what she could tell, her family, who is Jewish, was the only one targeted.
According to the police department, detectives do not believe the incident was random and that the paper/cardboard swastikas may have been left overnight, and were not noticed by the residents until they started to leave their home Tuesday morning.
“Right now, we’re investigating it as a hateful incident,” McIntyre said. “This is a terrible incident — it should not happen to any family. It’s hurtful to think that this could take place in our town, in any town. We consider us a very welcoming and open community, and this is not representative of the town that we live in.”
McIntyre added that he has been in contact with the Anti-Defamation League of New England, noting that its leadership team will reportedly “support the department and community during this investigation.”
“The placement of a swastika on one individual family’s home is, in many ways, an act of intimidation,” said ADL New England Regional Director Robert Trestan. “It’s a threatening act. It shatters a sense of security and it warrants a thorough law enforcement investigation.”
Along with the swastikas, police said a melted candle was found on the property. They also said the Essex County District Attorney’s Office is involved in the case.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Stoneham Police Detectives at 781-438-1215.
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