Arrest Made In Vandalism Of Public Menorah At Bridgeport Synagogue

BRIDGEPORT, CT — Bridgeport police have arrested a 29-year-old Bridgeport man in connection with the vandalism of a Hanukkah menorah last month at Congregation B'nai Israel on Park Avenue, department officials posted on Facebook.

Austin Smalls turned himself in Tuesday night at police headquarters after a warrant was issued for his arrest, police said.

He was charged with third-degree criminal mischief and disorderly conduct, and the judge who signed the arrest warrant ordered him to stay away from the synagogue. See below.

Surveillance video from Congregation B’nai Israel shows a man arriving at the synagogue at about 3 a.m. on Dec. 24 in a vehicle registered to Smalls, police said. The video shows the man rocking a menorah back and forth several times until it fell and crashed to the ground.

Several hours later, Smalls was arrested by Bridgeport police in an unrelated incident several miles away. Police said he was driving the same vehicle and wearing the same clothing seen in the synagogue surveillance video. At the time of that arrest, police had not yet been notified of the menorah vandalism.

Smalls was released on a promise to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on Feb. 10.