MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Miami Beach police are investigating after messages of hate were found inside a home that had been hit by a burglar.
A silent alarm alerted police to the residence on the corner of 48th Street and North Bay Road, a block away from Alton Road.
After doing a quick canvass, officers determined the home was safe and went inside. Detectives told Local 10 News the place had been ransacked. But what really caught their attention was anti-Semitic graffiti drawn on one of the walls of the home, including swastikas surrounded by Jewish stars.
Fortunately, no one was home at the time. The homeowners, who neighbors said are Orthodox Jews, didn't want to speak with the media.
"I think it's a terrible situation just in general," said Wayne Cypen, a neighbor of the homeowner targeted. "That anybody would hate somebody just because of their religion. But of course, as Jews, we're sort of accustomed to that so to speak, though we shouldn't be. And then to have it right in my neighborhood is kind of scary."
At this point, police aren't sure if these people were singled out just because they're Jewish, or whether the motive was a regular robbery. Right now, investigators believe it could be the work of some kids, and they say they have collected plenty of evidence.
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