BRIDGEPORT, CT — A city man has been arrested for vandalizing a Hanukkah menorah at a synagogue last month.
Austin Smalls, 29, of Bridgeport, turned himself in Tuesday night at police headquarters on an active warrant.
Smalls is charged with criminal mischief in the third degree and disorderly conduct.
He was processed and released on a promise to appear in court.
A judge ordered him to stay away from the synagogue.
Surveillance video from Congregation B’nai Israel on Park Avenue shows Smalls arriving at approximately 3 a.m. on Dec. 24 in a vehicle registered to him.
The video shows him rocking the menorah back and forth numerous times until it toppled over and crashed to the ground.
Hours later on Dec. 24, Smalls was arrested by Bridgeport police in an unrelated incident several miles away.
He was driving the same car and wearing the same clothing as seen in the surveillance video from the synagogue.
Police had not yet been advised of the menorah vandalism at the time of that arrest.
