Messages Of Hate Left In Mailboxes, Doorsteps Of At Least Half Dozen Ventura County Homes

OAK PARK (CBSLA.com) — Someone has been leaving messages of hate at half a dozen places, including a Chabad house, in a Ventura County community.

Stuart Craner found a piece of paper with a hand-drawn swastika and threatening words taped to the outside of his back sliding door.

"Mine it said: 'prepare yourself.' And I'm thinking, for what?" Craner asked.

At least six Oak Park homes had the anti-Semitic symbol put in mailboxes and on doorsteps Saturday night, according to Thousand Oaks police.

Some, but not all of the homes belong to Jewish families.

"I'm not Jewish. But I have a real heart for the Jewish people. I'm concerned for why people would even feel that way towards them, Craner said.

Susie Forrest didn't receive a hateful note. She was upset and even tearful nevertheless. "I think it's wrong. I think even if it is a prank, it's hurtful. It's not okay," she said.

"That's kind of scary to have a threat like that. I take it as a threat," Kerry Ready said.

"Because I'm a Jewish. I'm afraid somebody can hurt my family," Eliran Keidar said.

The Chabad of Oak Park, which is an Orthodox Jewish outreach center, also got a threatening note and turned over security footage to police.

Craner said whoever is responsible went to a lot of trouble, climbing up a retaining wall and over his fence. "I was kind of shocked. I was thinking who would do that?" he asked.

Investigators said they were reviewing security footage, and the suspects appear to be 16 to 24 years old.