Suspect Arrested on Hate Crime Charges in Brooklyn Mezuzah Burnings

Police have arrested a suspected arsonist on hate crime charges in connection with the burnings of a dozen mezuzahs over the past several days in Brooklyn. 

Mezuzahs are Hebrew-inscribed parchments affixed to doorways of Jewish homes.

Eleven mezuzahs were found vandalized on Monday in one building on Taylor Street in Williamsburg, and another a day later in a building on Clymer Street.

Authorities say Ruben Ubiles, 35, was seen on surveillance cameras lighting a match in one of the buildings, and investigators have video of him inside both buildings at the time of the crimes.

A law enforcement official tells NBC 4 New York that Ubiles has also made statements implicating himself.

The charges include 12 counts of burglary as a hate crime, 12 counts of arson as a hate crime and 12 counts of criminal mischief as a hate crime.

Ubiles is being evaluated at a hospital and information about an attorney wasn't immediately available. Police would not say why he was taken to a hospital.

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