A 33-year-old St. Louis man is in custody after multiple vehicles were spray-painted with swastikas in a south St. Louis neighborhood, an act police say was captured on surveillance video and quickly led to an arrest.
Arrest follows surveillance footage
The vandalism occurred on April 11 in an alley near the 1900 block of Utah Street, where at least five cars were defaced with the symbol. The markings were discovered the following morning, prompting a police investigation.
Surveillance footage showed a suspect spray-painting swastikas onto the vehicles. According to police, neighbors later recognized the individual and contacted authorities, leading to the arrest of Daniel Joseph Hughes on April 13 in the same neighborhood.
Charges include felony property damage
Hughes, 33, has been charged with two counts of first-degree property damage, a Class E felony under Missouri law.
In a probable cause statement filed April 14, investigators said Hughes admitted to spray-painting the vehicles after being taken into custody. The report also notes that one of the incidents was captured on neighborhood surveillance video and that Hughes had an open case involving trespass and property damage at the time of the arrest.
Incident adds to pattern of antisemitic activity
While the charges focus on property damage, the use of swastikas carries broader implications. The symbol, widely recognized as a representation of Nazi ideology, has long been used to intimidate and target Jewish communities and others.
Following the incident, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis said its community security team increased patrols, briefed officers and reinforced vigilance across the community.
“Acts like this are meant to intimidate and spread hate, and they have no place in our community,” said Danny Cohn, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis.
And in St. Louis, it’s not happening in a vacuum.
This incident follows at least two similar cases in the region over the past year.
In March 2025, antisemitic graffiti, including swastikas, was found at Affton High School and Rogers Middle School, prompting community meetings and an eventual arrest.
Two months later, in May 2025, two juveniles were taken into custody after antisemitic and racist graffiti was discovered at Glenridge Elementary School in Clayton.
Police have not indicated whether additional charges related to bias or hate crimes will be pursued in the latest case.
Authorities are asking anyone with additional information about the incident to contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).
