Cops are asking for help identifying a man they say left a book with a hateful cover on the stoop of a Midwood home.
On Jan. 30 at approximately 1:25 a.m., the man walked up to a private home near Ocean Parkway and put a book with an antisemitic symbol on the cover on the front steps, police said. The suspect then fled the scene on foot.
According to the NYPD, the suspect is described as a male with a light complexion and medium build. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, black pants and a black beanie, and carrying an orange bag.
Due to the nature of this particular incident, the incident is being investigated by the NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force.
According to police data, from Jan. 1, 2023 to Dec. 30, 2023 the NYPD reported 669 hate crimes resulting in 360 arrests. Of these hate crimes, 325 targeted the Jewish community.
In the 61st Precinct, where this most recent crime occurred, a reported 18 cases of antisemitic hate crimes occurred leading to seven arrests. Following the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitism has increased a reported 400% according to the Anti Defamation League.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X @NYPDTips.
