CONTACT: Watch Commander

PHONE: 805.781.7312

TYPE OF INCIDENT: Suspicion of Hate Crime Activity at Local Businesses and Non-Profits

PLACE OF OCCURRENCE:  900 block of Monterey and 1000 block of Palm

SUSPECT: Unknown Adult Male

On July 24, 2024, the San Luis Obispo Police Department investigated a series of suspicious incidents involving burned political signs along with burned flags being left at various locations downtown in our city. An adult male is seen in the surveillance footage affixing these burned items to doors or draping them across the doorway thresholds.

The burned signs were political yard signs, and the burned flags represented the LBGTQ+ community and the country of Ukraine. The signs and flags also had religious statements written on them. The male did not light the items on fire at the businesses, thus, arson is not suspected. The police department had a similar report of items left at a business in June of this year on the 900 block of Monterey. The surveillance footage captured during the June incident shows a male subject who appears to be the same person captured on surveillance today. We are currently investigating the matter as a Hate Crime and determining whether other criminal charges are applicable.

The suspect is not known to SLOPD. In both videos, the male is wearing shorts and dark t-shirt with a noticeable full white beard. If you have information on the identity of the male pictured, please contact the on-duty Watch Commander at 805-781-7312, and reference SLOPD case number 240724011.

Incident #s 240724011, 240724024, 240724026