Cedarhurst swastika suspect grabbed in Lawrence

A 17-year-old male from Central Avenue in Lawrence was arrested on Sunday for allegedly drawing two swastikas on the sidewalk on Oxford Road in Cedarhurst on Monday, March 7.

Police said that the suspect was walking on Oxford Road, found a piece of chalk and drew the Nazi symbol in front of different homes at around 5:05 pm.

“A subsequent investigation by detectives led to the arrest,” police said in a news release. Police did not disclose a motive.

The suspect is charged with two counts of aggravated harassment-first degree and was issued a desk appearance ticket requiring that he appear in First District Court in Hempstead on April 13.

“My wife’s parents were the only survivors of a very large family from the Holocaust,” a man who lives next door to where one of the swastikas was drawn told WCBS TV. “Even though it was a long time ago, it’s very real to us.”