Anti-Semitic wig-snatcher arrested in Los Angeles
Police in North Hollywood detain a 33-year-old man on suspicion of hate crimes after he apparently yanked the wigs off of several Orthodox Jewish women before fleeing the scene.
According to the LAPD, the suspect was uncooperative in questioning, but the motive for his action is believed to be the women’s religion.
He was arrested with the help of the public after police released photos of the perpetrator and information regarding the attacks.
The first two incidents took place on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.
The first victim is an 80-year-old woman who was walking alone near the intersection of Bel-Air and Burbank. According to the woman, she noticed a man in his 20s or 30s who was following her. At a certain point the man approached her and yanked her wig off her head, before smiling and handing the wig back to her without uttering a word.
The second victim is a 36-year-old woman, whom Szwet approached at the same location and repeated the action.
The latest incident took place last Tuesday in the same area of Los Angeles, when the suspect approached a 58-year-old woman who was loading musical instruments into her car and pulled the wig off her head before saying, “Oh, I’m sorry” in a sarcastic manner, and promptly fleeing the scene.
One of the Jewish women was interviewed by a local news channel and described her experiences.
"Suddenly, I felt someone was standing behind me. I turned around and he pulled my wig off. I screamed and felt humiliated," she stressed, adding that following the incidents she didn't feel safe in her neighborhood.
"Now it's wigs, but it might escalate into something worse," she said.
According to the police, similar incidents have occurred in the past but went unreported.
The incidents join a series other attacks aimed against the Jewish community in southern California. Last week, vandals spray-painted graffiti on a synagogue in Orange County.
