FBI: Rise In Sacramento Hate Crimes

There's been an increase in hate crime incidents in the greater Sacramento area recently, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Special agent Steve Dupre said rewards are being offered in connection with two incidents: one at Kenesset Israel Torah Center in January and the other at Congregation Beth Shalom in November.

Sacramento FBI officials are offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the crimes, Dupre said.

Representatives from the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region have also offered a reward up to $1,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for these two acts, according to Dupre.

Surveillance video from the vandalism at Congregation Beth Shalom was released Monday. A man dressed in black is seen making marks on a wall at the property, then walking away.

"It should be disturbing to us that in 2008, the FBI's annual hate crimes statistics showed 7,783 bias-motivated incidents," Drew Parenti from the FBI said. "These are the highest total since 2001."

Vandals drew a swastika on the temple at Congregation Beth Shalom on the anniversary of attacks on Jews in Germany and Austria.

Kenesset Israel Torah Center was vandalized with swastikas, the letters "666" and the name "Satan."