Swastikas painted on kosher butcher shop in Northeast Philadelphia

Philadelphia police are investigating an incident of anti-Semitic vandalism in which swastikas were painted on the outside of a butcher store in Northeast Philadelphia.

The owner of Simon's Kosher, on the 6900 block of Bustleton Avenue, discovered several swastikas painted on the outside of the store around 8:22 a.m. Thursday, police said.

The symbols were painted in red on the storefront and on the rear of the building, police said.

Detectives are investigating. Police said no similar incidents had been reported in the area recently.

The couple who own the store are originally from Kiev, Ukraine. They opened the store, which specializes in kosher meats and Israeli foods, in 1995 after immigrating from Israel, where they had lived for some time.

Reached by phone Thursday, one of the store's owners said the couple was dismayed by the incident but declined to comment further as the shop was still open and very busy.