Man Accused Of Stealing Torahs And Damaging Synagogue: LBPD

Long Beach NY

23 August, 2021

10:31 AM

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LONG BEACH, NY — A man is under arrest, accused of stealing religious items from the Chabad of the Beaches Temple. Long Beach Police Commissioner Ronald Walsh announced Hunter McLerath (who also uses the alias Alexander McElrath), 23, of Staten Island, was taken into custody on Sunday after an investigation found McLerath was arrested earlier in the day for disorderly conduct in Ocean Beach Park. Walsh asked the public for help regarding the burglary and a large number of calls were received, police say. The Chabad of the Beaches rabbi alerted police on Sunday morning to the burglary that included damaging the ark where the Torah scrolls are kept, police say. Most of the items were recovered from the West Beech Street synagogue, but two Torahs are still missing, police say. Anyone with information on their whereabouts can call the Long Beach Police Department Detective Division at 516-705-7320. McLerath was charged with burglary, criminal mischief and grand larceny. He was due to be arraigned on Monday.