Swastikas Found On Street Signs In Mokena

MOKENA, IL - A series of swastikas were found spray painted on multiple public way signs in Mokena Sunday afternoon. It's the second time in the last year and a half that the Nazi symbol was sighted in the town.

Mokena Police Chief Steve Vaccaro said there were three signs tagged on Sunday, all located within a block-and-a-half radius. They were found on two speed limit signs and one 'Do Not Enter' sign in the area of Midland and Carpenter. One of the tagged signs was at the intersection, with the others having been reported on Division between 1st and 2nd streets and on Midland between 1st and 2nd.

Vaccaro said it's the first report police have responded to regarding swastikas since October of 2017, when similar symbols were found in the same general area.

"We take criminal defacement very seriously in Mokena," Vaccaro said. "Especially when it is public property, we make sure it is taken down immediately."

The chief said that public works crews had the graffiti all cleaned up within an hour of when it was first reported.

As was believed to be the case in 2017, Vaccaro said it is likely that the offenders are children.

"I still believe that it's kids," he said. "That's based on what we have seen and based on my experience."

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