Another hate crime has surfaced in Chatham and local police are looking for the public’s help to nab the suspects.
According to Chatham-Kent police, offensive words and symbols – including swastikas – were discovered Thursday at McNaughton Avenue Public School drawn on the playground equipment.
“The Chatham-Kent Police Service takes these acts of vandalism and hate seriously,” officials said in a media release, noting such crimes significantly impact the community and its residents.
Police are “strongly” urging the public to report these types of vandalism to property owners and law enforcement as soon as possible, so investigations can begin promptly and graffiti and messages can be erased.
The department is also reminding the public that such crimes can be reported to Chatham-Kent Victim Services via its Hate Reporting portal, which provides a safe, confidential platform to report incidents and receive support. The tool does not prompt a police investigation.
Those who have information to help police solve this crime are asked to contact investigating officer Const. Hanna Roesch at hannahr@chatham-kent.ca or by calling 519-436-6600. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
