SIMI VALLEY : Racism Not Cited in Spray-Painted Slurs

A Hindu couple and a Jewish woman had their property spray-painted with ethnic slurs, profanity and Nazi symbols over the weekend by four teen-agers later arrested on suspicion of vandalism, police and victims said Monday.

Yet Simi Valley police said the vandalism did not appear to be racially motivated. “There’s nothing specific to point to the fact that these people were targeted,” Sgt. Gordon Weeks said.

Three Simi Valley youths--Ryan K. Campbell, 18, Chad K. Garcia, 18, and Ronald J. Ramsdell, 19--were issued citations for the spray-painting spree in the 3900 block of Frandon Court early Sunday morning. A 15-year-old Simi Valley boy was also cited.

Two of the victims were Saptarshi and Parul Desai, both natives of India. The couple said they awoke Sunday morning to find profanity and Nazi swastikas, and the words “Hindus” and “White Pride,” painted on their garage door and sidewalk.

Their next-door neighbor’s car was also painted with Nazi symbols. Parul Desai said police told her that her targeted neighbor is Jewish. Nazi symbols were also painted across the street on the sidewalk of a neighbor who is not a member of any ethnic minority group, she said.

Police estimated the damage at $200.

Despite the ethnic slurs and anti-Semitic symbols, Sgt. Bob Gardner said in a prepared release that “there is no indication that the vandalism was racially motivated and the case is considered closed.”

Gardner said Campbell, Garcia and Ramsdell acknowledged their involvement, saying it followed a night of heavy drinking. He said the trio told police that they have friends who belong to white power and skinheads groups, but are not themselves members.