Lynnfield PD investigating after BLM sign stolen, driveway spray painted

LYNNFIELD, Mass. — A Lynnfield couple wants answers after their front yard was targeted two days in a row.

Andrea Markarian told Boston 25 News it began on Sunday night when her family’s Black Lives Matter sign was stolen from their front lawn.

She said someone then spray painted an offensive message on their driveway on Monday night.

Police responded to the home on Summer Street and are now investigating the case as a hate crime.

“My husband is black. I don’t know if they know there are people in my home who are black, it’s cowardly. It’s racist. It’s bigoted,” said Andrea Markarian.

Markarian said her husband and teenage sons are especially on guard after what happened.

However, the family has been touched by the outpouring of support from strangers after a post on social media.

“We want to live in a town that doesn’t allow this sort of stuff to happen, and we’re going to do what we can to make it better,” said neighbor Kathleen Gallagher, who showed up with her husband to drop off flowers on Tuesday night.

One neighbor is reporting a similar reoccurring experience at her home on nearby Walnut Street.

“Our Black Lives Matter Sign has been stolen or vandalized seven times now to our account. We’ve replaced it quickly each time” said neighbor Sara Teague. “We’re hoping it stops.”

Sara Teague has called police seven times in recent months to report the theft or vandalism of her family’s Black Lives Matter signs.

Teague has shared surveillance video with police to help with their investigation.

“Now they went the extra step of vandalizing their property which is wrong and was the last straw for us,” said Teague.

Lynnfield Police Chief David Breen said the vandalism to Markarian’s driveway appears to be similar to the tagging that happened at Pilling’s Pond earlier this summer.

Several locations there were spray painted after Lynnfield’s Black Lives Matter demonstration.

“It’s been quiet for several weeks, but now it appears this person or persons are out there doing the same type of targeted attacks. It’s unacceptable,” said Lynnfield Police Chief David Breen.

Chief Breen told Boston 25 News that the department is taking these vandalism cases seriously.

“We live in a very difficult time right now. For people to be targeting others with hate crimes, we’re just not going to tolerate it. We need to work together to stop this type of abuse toward others,” added Chief Breen.

Chief Breen said the only possible suspect description they have to go on from the Pilling’s Pond case is a younger person on a bicycle wearing a backpack.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Lynnfield Police Department.

Cox Media Group