Vandal wanted over 'abhorrent' synagogue graffiti

Each time, an unknown man arrived on a black e-scooter and sprayed the building with paint.

The graffiti was similar in nature each time and some included the words "war crimes" with the Star of David replacing the letter "a", Victoria Police Inspector Martin McLean said.

The officer urged anyone with information about the man to come forward immediately because police were "certain" people would have seen him before or after the incidents.

"Police certainly take a dim view of this sort of abhorrent behavior in the public arena," he told reporters at Victoria Police headquarters on Monday.

"There's certainly a pattern of behaviour, it's always when it's dark and there's less opportunity to be seen by people."

Security camera footage has been released in a bid to track down the suspect, who is described as white, of medium build and bald.

He usually wore a long black jacket and black and white face covering, but also donned a Ghostface mask from the movie Scream in his two most recent forays on July 22 and 30.

Investigators believe the man was acting alone.

Victoria Police said there was "absolutely no place at all in our society for hate-based behaviour".

Melbourne synagogues have repeatedly become a target after an attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023 and the nation's subsequent military campaign in Gaza.

Two buildings belonging to the Adass Israel synagogue in Ripponlea, in Melbourne's southeast, were gutted in an alleged firebombing in December 2024.

Giovanni Laulu, 21, was the first person directly charged over the alleged arson and fronted court on Thursday.

An allegedly deliberately lit fire at the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on July 4 forced a group of about 20 people to flee the building.

It was roundly condemned, including by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Angelo Loras, a 34-year-old from NSW, has since been charged with reckless conduct endangering life, criminal damage by fire and possession of a controlled weapon.