300-Pound Menorah Stolen From Brookline Temple Found In West Roxbury
BROOKLINE (CBS) – A Menorah stolen from a temple in Brookline was found in Boston Wednesday morning.
Brookline police say the 300-pound Menorah, taken from Temple Emeth on Grove Street, was found around 6 a.m. at Church and Weld streets in West Roxbury.
There have been no arrests.
"I've been the rabbi of Temple Emeth since 1977 and I must tell you we've never to my knowledge had any kind of vandalism here," Rabbi Alan Turetz told WBZ-TV.
The six-foot-tall Menorah is one of two that have stood outside Temple Emeth for decades.
Brookline police think scrap metal thieves may be responsible, because of the size of the Menorah, but they haven't eliminated the possibility it was a hate crime.
"I do think it's possibly, likely a crime having to do more with theft than hate, but the police are very carefully looking into every possible angle," the rabbi said. "Police said that these scrap metal thieves or these thieves that take metals, generally go in the middle of the night, that's when they steal things. There's a pattern and they're familiar with the pattern and it's current."
The Menorah was found less than mile from the temple hours after being taken.
"I think that the police feel that the weight of it and also the fact that it's so recognizable made the thieves feel that they just better get rid of it," Turetz said.
The Menorah was damaged, but Rabbi Turetz believes they will be able to repair it.
Hanukkah, the eight day festival of lights in the Jewish faith, begins at sundown on Sunday, December 2.
