A woman was arrested Friday night as a suspect in the placement of threatening messages on at least five doors in a San Leandro neighborhood, and of other similar messages posted in public places, San Leandro police said.
Nancy Arechiga, 52, of San Leandro was found late Friday night in the Heron Bay neighborhood by police called there to investigate the notes. Police said the handwritten notes contained "various insensitive messages towards minorities," and suggested that people not native to America leave the country immediately. The messages, found affixed to five front doors, were directed towards women and children as well, police said.
Police said Arechiga was captured on security video at one of the homes, and was soon found nearby. Police said Arechiga was carrying a backpack that contained other similar handwritten notes.
Arechiga was booked into the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, but was soon released given the state's "no bail" schedule related to the COVID-19 coronavirus, police said.
San Leandro police investigated a similar incident Thursday night, when a related note was found on an information board along the Heron Bay trail. That note read, in part, "no Asians allowed, leave immediately," police said. That post was quickly removed by a good Samaritan and discarded. Police said they believe Arechiga is also responsible for that posting.
"San Leandro is a community of beautifully diverse people, who share a common desire to live in harmony, and free from intimidation," San Leandro police Lt. Isaac Benabou said in a statement. "We welcome people's rights to express themselves, but not in a manner that infringes upon a community's sense of security and well being.
Anyone with information on similar incidents is asked to contact the San Leandro Police Department at (510) 577-2740.
