Swastika graffiti not a hate crime in Wheaton

A swastika painted over the weekend on the door of a residential home in Wheaton is not a hate crime, Wheaton police said Tuesday.

The swastika appeared Saturday at the home, located in the neighborhood of Crescent Street and Kellogg Place. The incident appears to be part of a mini-outbreak of gang graffiti in the city within the past two weeks.

Deputy Police Chief Tom Meloni said the swastika was just one of several symbols found on the house that tend to be associated with one particular gang.

Meloni said he didn't want to name the gang so as not to give it any additional notoriety.

"We've had graffiti in the past with these type of symbols," Meloni said. "There is no evidence that it's a hate crime."

Wheaton law now requires the homeowner to remove the graffiti in 30 days or face a fine.

Graffiti from two other gangs also has popped up in town recently, but doesn't appear to be related to the swastika incident, Meloni said.

Graffiti also recently appeared on the walls of the pedestrian underpass at the College Avenue train station. And, on Monday, someone drew gang graffiti on the No. 11 door at Lincoln Elementary School, just off the playground.