A hate crime investigation is underway into vandalism caught on camera in the middle of the night in Sheepshead Bay.
The vehicle’s owner woke up Wednesday to find a red “Z” spray-painted onto the vehicle’s doors and a front tire flat. Another Z was spray-painted onto a bumper sticker with the Ukrainian flag and a message against Vladimir Putin.
A neighbor shared surveillance footage of the incident exclusively with News 12. It happened just after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Footage shows a partial view of a man walking on East 27th Street and then stopping next to the car before he begins spray-painting.
The car’s owner, Maria Vladi, is Ukrainian and vehemently against the war with Russia. She also says eggs were thrown at her vehicle for a second time, with the first time being last week.
Vladi says the “Z” has a dark meaning.
"Z … symbolizes fascism and terror in Ukraine. This is a Russian symbol,” she says. “I want these people found. This is a free country. If you don't like something, you can leave.”
The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incident. No arrests have been made yet.
Vladi says the damage may cost her just under $3,000.