Swastika Marked on Quince Orchard Football Field: Suspect Photo

GAITHERSBURG, MD — As the hunt continues for the vandal who marked a Nazi swastika and images of male genitalia on the grass of the Quince Orchard High School football field, police released a photo of a possible suspect vehicle.

The surveillance photo released Thursday shows a vehicle that was seen on school property, 15800 Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg, the night before the vandalism on Oct. 13, according to Montgomery County Police. Investigators have called the vandalism, which used some sort of a caustic substance to deface the field surface with the images, a hate crime.

Police asked for the public’s help in identifying the driver and/or owner of the vehicle caught on camera.

The school resource officer reviewed the school’s surveillance system and noted that shortly after midnight on Oct. 13, the suspect vehicle was seen driving into the school parking lot. After the vehicle parked, a car door opened; a short time later, the car can be seen leaving the school parking lot.

Police describe the suspect vehicle as a dark-colored, mid-size, four-door sedan. On the surveillance video, the driver’s side headlight appears to be brighter than the passenger side headlight, indicating that the driver’s side headlight may be misaligned.

The Montgomery County Police Department has talked with the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington and The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington about the incident.

Anyone with information about this vandalism or the suspect vehicle is asked to call police at 240-773-6084.

For those who wish to remain anonymous, Crime Solvers of Montgomery County is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for any information that leads to the arrest of the suspect(s). Tipsters can call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

»Photo of suspect vehicle in vandalism of Quince Orchard High School football field, courtesy of Montgomery County Police