Vacaville, California, police say they responded to a car fire Monday night around 9 p.m. and found much more: a white Mercedes-Benz fully engulfed in flames, marred with graffiti reading "KKK."
"Spray paint graffiti to right and left side," said Vacaville police Lt. Matt Lydon, "which indicates a hate crime."
Vandals tagged "KKK" on both sides of the white vehicle parked downtown -- a shocking site.
"That's unheard of for Vacaville," said one resident.
"It's horrible, we have a small town here," said another, "and to see something like this hate crime happen -- it's hideous."
Police say, the victim who owns the car is not African American. "All I can say is his ethnicity is not Caucasian," Lydon said.
Police say that victim is too frightened to come forward and speak out.
"Anything's possible, it could be a case of mistaken identity, it could be targeted," Lydon told ABC13 sister station ABC7 in San Francisco.
Neighbors say they saw similar tagging months ago on the side of a gas station near where the car was parked.
"It was like multiple Ks, not three, so didn't think it was racist," said resident Chris Torento. "Just an idiot with a spray can."
Gas station employees and police don't know if the vandalism is related.
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