18-Year-Old Arrested In South Bay Antisemitic Vandalism Cases

IMPERIAL BEACH, CA — A teen was arrested Tuesday in connection with a series of hate-related vandalism incidents at and around homes in the South Bay area of San Diego County, authorities said.

Kristoffer Von Hassel, 18, was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and damaging property motivated by civil rights violations, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office. He was booked into San Diego Central Jail.

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Deputies first responded Sept. 13 to two separate reports of hate symbols and antisemitic graffiti at homes on Elm Avenue and Seacoast Drive in Imperial Beach. The markings appeared to have been made with a black permanent marker, sheriff's officials said.

Deputies returned to the Elm Avenue home Sept. 19 after additional hate-related graffiti was reported. Investigators later discovered several similar instances of vandalism in an alley behind the home.

The sheriff's office increased patrols in the affected neighborhoods as detectives conducted follow-up interviews, searched the areas where the vandalism occurred and gathered evidence.

Surveillance video from a nearby location helped investigators identify a possible suspect, according to the sheriff's office.

Deputies conducting additional patrols contacted Von Hassel around 3 a.m. Tuesday in a dark alley where one of the vandalism incidents had occurred, officials said.

Deputies said Von Hassel had a handheld electronic device capable of interacting with and analyzing wireless signals, including some used by garage doors, gates and other access systems. Authorities did not say whether the device was connected to the vandalism investigation.

The sheriff's Criminal Intelligence Unit assisted with the investigation because of the suspected hate-crime connection. The sheriff's office said it will work with the San Diego County District Attorney's Hate Crimes Unit as the case proceeds.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information was asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 858-868-3200 or San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.