STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Two 19-year-old men from out of state are in custody after a man's fence in Sterling Heights was vandalized with antisemitic phrases, swastikas and neo-Nazi symbols. Police are also investigating multiple other similar vandalized properties to see if they're connected.
Watch Ruta Ulcinaite's video report below:
Sterling Heights police responded to the area of Canal Road near M-53 around 12:45 a.m. Sunday. Officers located two men matching a caller's description and found them with spray paint, knives and marijuana in a nearby commercial parking lot.
The vandalism was observed by residents in the area spanning a 1-mile radius, including a residential fence, an industrial fence and under the M-53 bridge. The graffiti included phrases such as "Fight Jewish control."
The city has since cleaned up the vandalized areas.
Dan has lived in the area for about four years and said he has never woken up to such brazen hate on his property.
"Actually, the city noticed it prior to me, came to my backyard and I got called out and they said there was something on my fence and people were taking photos and yeah, pretty bad, not a good thing," Dan said. “Very hateful."
Police are investigating the exact motive behind the vandalism and the multiple tagged properties.
"Fences are expensive. So they’re lucky that fence was able to be cleaned, but it’s what was written on the fence that they have to take care of now. And I hope they do cause this is ridiculous," Dan added.
Neighbors were shocked the hateful rhetoric was left behind in their quiet neighborhood.
"Actually, it’s really quiet. Sometimes too quiet," Donald Rodebaugh said.
Both 19-year-old male suspects are from out of state — one from Idaho and the other from South Carolina.
"This is very, very rare and the fact they’re out of state says something. So hopefully, they’re just troublemakers who made their way over here," Dan said. "Make better choices and think about the people you affect when you do things."
The suspects remain in the Macomb County Jail. The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office says charges could be issued within the next few days.
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