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Police investigating after man sprays fake blood on Israeli flag outside Maplewood home

Police in Maplewood are investigating after someone sprayed fake blood on an Israeli flag outside a Jewish family's home in Maplewood.

MAPLEWOOD, Mo. — Police in Maplewood are investigating after someone sprayed fake blood on an Israeli flag outside a Jewish family's home in Maplewood.

5 On Your Side first reported on a hate crime at the same house more than a month ago. 

Related: Man charged in anti-Semitic hate crimes in Maplewood

The family, who wanted to remain anonymous on-camera, has a banner outside their front door with the faces of the Israeli hostages. It has been damaged about six times in the last few weeks.

The latest incident on Friday was captured on security video again -- this time thanks to a newly installed camera, said the mother, Corinne, who didn't want to share her last name or show her face on-air.

Corinne emphasized it's a daily consideration and fear of being targeted that her husband and three-year-old son face right outside their door.

"It has changed our perspective on the world," Corinne said. "As dramatic as that sounds, I feel myself questioning every person who walks by in my mind. 'Is that who's doing this?'"

You can still see the red substance on the Israeli flag Monday after a young suspect sprayed what looks to be fake blood on it Friday night. Red marked the faces of the Israeli hostages, which leaves a haunting reflection almost three days later during the start of Passover.

The Friday suspect was not wearing a mask or covering their face in the surveillance footage, which Corinne said is one of the scariest parts. Especially since she's the one who wants to keep her face hidden on camera for safety reasons.

"It's in the open and people feel comfortable doing these things," Corinne said. "They feel emboldened to do that. It has changed my view of where I fit in politically. It has changed my view of my ability to trust people."

Herbert Pirtle has lived here for 50 years in a home directly in the eyeline of this display, religious about reading his daily morning newspaper in that spot. 

So when 5 On Your Side told him about this recent nighttime fake blood vandalism, "that absolutely surprises me," Pirtle said. "There nobody in this neighborhood that I know that's lived here that would do anything like that."

Maplewood police said they are asking for the public's help to find the person in this surveillance video from 11:10 p.m. on Friday. 

It's the latest in a string of damage at the home. 

First, on March 7 when police say 39-year-old Matthew Pisoni was caught on camera stealing a flag of Israel. He is charged with two counts of stealing and one count of harassment.

Then, the next day, another person stole a banner, making an offensive gesture at their surveillance camera. 

Additionally on March 11, a new flag was snatched three days later as a third suspect ran to a waiting SUV on the footage.

Now, with Friday's vandalism it leaves Corinne worried about the future, in addition to having a red stained concrete platform on her front porch.

"I think the part that breaks my heart the most on the impact it's had on my family is with my 3-year-old," Corinne said. "We have times where he will stand at the window and he pushes his toy box over so he can see the flag out the window so that he can keep an eye on it and make sure that it's safe."

Maplewood Police said this is an active case and it has been assigned to their detective bureau.

Anyone with information about any of the suspects is asked to call Maplewood police at 314-646-3617.

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