Swastikas found on Cedarhurst street

Police are looking for the vandals who etched two swastikas on Oxford Street in the Village of Cedarhurst between Monday night and Tuesday after one of the Nazi symbols were removed.

"The full resources of the Nassau County Police Department, including the Bias Crimes Unit and the Fourth Detective Squad, are investigating the crime," Msyor Benjamin Weinstock said in a prepared release.

Weinsatock said that the police believe that a group of youths are responsible for both incidents. The  police believe that these are crimes of opportunity rather than planned bias attacks. Both swastikas were drawn backwards (resembling a Buddhist symbol rather than the infamous Nazi symbol) and the chalk that was used was taken from a nearby house.  "They are nevertheless taking the incidents very seriously and if caught, they will prosecute the perpetrators with hate crimes," Weinstock said.

The Rockaway Safety Patrol (RNSP), a Far Rockaway-based security patrol organization, worked with Nassau County police from the 4th Precinct to investigate the incident.

“While the police continue to investigate these matters, RNSP will beef up patrols in and around the area,” said Sholem Klein, of the Rockaway Nassau Safety Patrol. “We urge neighbors to review any surveillance footage that they may have and notify us or local law enforcement so that those responsible for this disgusting crime can be held accountable.”

In the past few years, there have been several incidents where swastikas were found at the Cedarhurst Long Island Rail Road Station. Cameras were installed in an effort to deter that from recurring.

Anyone having video surveillance images or other information is urged to call the 4th Precinct at (516) 573-6400.