Crime & Safety
FBI Investigates Vandalism of South Bay Mosques
Authorities are investigating as hate crimes, the vandalism of two South Bay Mosques including a fake grenade left at one.

A pair of mosques were vandalized overnight in Hawthorne with graffiti and a fake grenade, police said today.
The name “Jesus” was spray painted on a fence of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Baitus-Salaam Mosque at 13221 Prairie Ave., according to the Hawthorne Police Department.
The message was reported around 6:30 a.m. today, according to a press release.
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A hand grenade-type device was also found in the driveway, but a Los Angeles County bomb squad determined it was a plastic replica, the release read.
A spray-painted message reading “Jesus is the way” was found in front of the Islamic Center of Hawthorne at 12209 S. Hawthorne Way, according to police.
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The Los Angeles field office of the FBI is working with Hawthorne detectives in an investigation of the two incidents, which are being classified as hate crimes.
Both cases of vandalism were believed to have occurred Saturday night.
Anyone with information is asked to call 800-222-8477 or www.LACrimestoppers.org.
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