North Fort Myers, Fla. (WFLA) – Deputies are looking for people responsible for writing some anti-Semitistic messages at a shed in North Fort Myers over the weekend.
A deputy from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office met with employees of the company that owns the local pickleball court and the surrounding buildings Sunday morning.
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According to the incident report, the employee received a call from the housekeeper around 4:45am, saying mesh screenings around one of the pickleball courts were on fire. The North Fort Myers Fire Department responded to the scene to extinguish the flames.
In addition to the fire, employees told staff that several items were thrown around the parking lot, including emergency equipment, pens, water coolers and other miscellaneous items stored in small cupboards on the fence.
That’s when employees notice a message of doodles in nearby sheds, particularly anti-Semitism.
In a statement to wfla.com, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said:
“Detectives are currently investigating criminal mischief cases in the Pine Lakes community, where anti-Semitic language is written outside the shed. We track all leads, find and review surveillance videos, gather evidence, speak to witnesses, and investigate this case to the fullest.”
Employees told deputies that if the total amount of damaged items exceeds about $1,000, they would replace the burnt mesh privacy screen and replace the $60 to repaint the fence. He added that pickle ball courts will need to be repaired due to the fire.
The fire department will not conduct an arson investigation at this time, according to the report.
