Torah Scrolls Valued At $240,000 Stolen From Brooklyn Synagogue, Police Say

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Brooklyn synagogue was burglarized during the Simchat Torah holiday, and four Torah scrolls worth nearly $250,000 were stolen.

As CBS2's Jessica Moore reported, the suspect was caught on camera and police hope the video will lead to an arrest.

The burglary happened overnight Tuesday at the Avenue O Synagogue, at 808 Avenue O in Midwood, Brooklyn.

"Terrible thing," one congregant said. "I don't want to judge anybody, but it's a terrible thing."

The surveillance video shows a man identified by police as the suspect in the crime, which was a brazen invasion and heartless theft.

The man appears to be in his 20s and is dressed all in black, and in the he is seen putting a yarmulke.

Later, a synagogue worker discovered four Torah scrolls gone form what CBS2 was told was a locked gold box.

It was not clear late Wednesday how the suspect got into the synagogue. Police said there were no obvious signs of forced entry.

Is it possible that he knew the combination on the keypad on the front door, Moore reported.

Another mystery is how the man got at the secured scrolls with an estimated value of at least $250,000.
People at the synagogue told CBS2's Moore that the suspect is likely aware of the scrolls high value.

"There's a gentleman who took some Sefer Torahs; he probably wants to sell them on the black market," one man told CBS2's Dave Carlin. "Terrible -- especially on a day like yesterday. It happened on a very special day where we celebrate the completion of the Torah."

At the synagogue, people said if the thief is Jewish, as the yarmulke-wearing seems to suggest, the timing is especially sinister given that the theft happened on Simchat Torah.

This reaction was on the Twitter account of New York City Councilman David G. Greenfield (D-44th).

The synagogue is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and the return of the sacred scrolls, 1010 WINS reported.