Ventura police arrest man for allegedly spray painting swastikas in downtown, midtown
A Ventura man was arrested Sunday morning after allegeding spray painting swastikas on five properties in midtown and downtown.
The Ventura Police Department said officers were called to the first property shortly after 9 a.m. to the 1000 block of E. Front Street on a report of vandalism of the swastika. Officers watched surveillance video from the business and later identified the man.
Officers later learned of four additional swastikas on both public and private property, police said.
Police eventually spotted the man, 30, riding an electric scooter around 11 a.m. near Main and Ash streets. Officers stopped him and found evidence connecting him to the vandalism and hate crime, police said.
During the investigation, officers discovered the man's social media accounts. Police said the man was allegedly spray painting the swastikas and taking photos of them. Police said they believed the man was uploading the images to his social accounts to give the impression that other people were committing hate crimes as a way of spreading fear.
Cmdr. Ryan Weeks said the preliminary investigation did not indicate the man targeted any particular business owner.
The man was arrested on suspicion of multiple counts of felony vandalism and parole violation and misdemeanors for vandalism, hate crime and possession of a stun gun by a person on felony parole, according to jail records. He was booked into Ventura County jail and is being held on $250,000 bail.
The man is set to appear in Ventura County Superior Court Wednesday afternoon.
It's at least the third hate crime reported in Ventura County in recent weeks. On March 17, a portable toilet used by farmworkers in Camarillo was marked with a message essentially saying Mexicans should be deported. Swastikas were also reported at Newbury Park High School Feb. 27.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Police arrest man for allegedly painting swastikas in Ventura
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