A London man was charged on Saturday in relation to seven incidents in which feces and urine were smeared or thrown onto synagogues and other Jewish properties in North West London, the Metropolitan Police and Jewish neighborhood watch group Shomrim North West London announced.
Ionut-Cristian Bold, of no fixed address, was charged with six counts of religiously aggravated criminal damage, three counts of damaging property, religiously aggravated harassment, and possession of an article with intent to damage property.
The 37-year-old man is set to appear at the Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Bold was arrested in the Hendon area, given the developments in the investigation following “substantial CCTV inquiries by officers,” North West Command head, Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, said in a Friday statement.
The spate of Golders Green excrement incidents likely began on August 15, with the latest occurring on September 11, when feces were smeared on the entrance of a synagogue and another Jewish-affiliated establishment. A picture shared by Shomrim showed the feces had been placed on the door’s code lock.
On Monday, Shomrim shared CCTV footage of previous incidents that it believed were conducted by the same individual. The suspect had thrown a liquid onto a Jewish school that day, according to the Metropolitan Police Service. The Jewish News reported that the liquid was urine.
Last Sunday, another synagogue was smeared with feces, and a similar offense happened at a private residence on Thursday.
Police first became aware of the defacements last Wednesday, when they received reports of feces being smeared on yet another synagogue, but investigations have revealed further, earlier such incidents.
It was discovered on Tuesday, for instance, that the same suspect had vandalized a synagogue in a similar manner to the way he had defaced one on the Tuesday before. The Met also said on Thursday that a seventh incident had been tied to the spate of attacks, with a liquid being thrown over a car linked to a synagogue on August 15.
Police denounce as 'revolting, appalling,' offer support to Jewish community, suffering 'deep distress'
“We will always treat allegations of this nature extremely seriously, and these charges follow an investigation by a team of local officers,” Barnet, Brent, and Harrow policing head Superintendent Zubin Writer said on Saturday. “We continue to offer support to residents, including members of the Jewish community.”
Shomrim thanked the police for their swift and determined efforts, but said on Saturday that “this case has caused deep distress to our community.”