Kristoffer Von Hassel, a former child prodigy who gained international attention after uncovering a Microsoft security flaw, has been arrested in California over allegations that he spray-painted antisemitic symbols on neighbors’ homes.
The 18-year-old was taken into custody by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office at about 3am Tuesday after residents reported multiple acts of vandalism in Imperial Beach, authorities said.
Deputies investigated two separate reports filed on September 13 involving swastikas and other hate symbols drawn in black permanent marker on residential properties, according to police.
A further report was made on September 19 after one of the same homes was vandalized again. Symbols were also found in a nearby alley behind the property, authorities said.
The sheriff’s office stepped up patrols in the neighborhood and reviewed surveillance footage, which investigators said helped identify Von Hassel as the suspect.
Deputies found him “in a dark alley where one of the vandalisms had occurred,” police said.
Authorities also said Von Hassel was carrying a “handheld electronic device capable of interacting with and analyzing certain wireless signals.” The device could connect with garage doors, gates and other systems, police added.
One of the targeted properties belongs to Sandy and Bruan Brillhart, who said the alleged vandalism has left them deeply distressed.
Several antisemitic markings were left on homes in Imperial Beach, California, over the past few weeks, police said
Kristoffer Von Hassel (pictured in 2014) has since been arrested for allegedly being behind the vandalism. He previously won the world over after discovering a Microsoft hack on his father’s Xbox
“I don’t feel safe at the beach anymore, and now I no longer feel safe in my house,” Sandy told KGTV.
Sandy initially believed the damage was ordinary vandalism and was not overly alarmed. Her concerns grew after she learned the meaning behind the symbols.
She said a swastika had been drawn on her front door. The symbol is widely associated with the Nazi regime and is recognized as a symbol of hate.
A separate marking included the letters “NS” and “WP.” “NS” refers to National Socialists, the political party led by Adolf Hitler, while “WP” stands for “white power.”
Sandy said the first incident occurred around Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish holiday marking the New Year.
About a week later, shortly before Yom Kippur, another Jewish holiday, the Brillharts discovered that Sandy’s name had been written across their garage door.
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“Well, this is unfortunate that it’s happened not only in our community, but worldwide now, and we need to deal with it before it gets out of control,” Bill said.
Another display had the letters ‘NS’ and ‘WP’ on it. ‘NS’ stands for ‘National Socialists’, Hitler’s political party, or the Nazi Party, and ‘WP’ means ‘white power’
Von Hassel’s father, meanwhile, said he did not believe his son was responsible for the alleged vandalism. He pointed to the incident that made Von Hassel famous as a five-year-old.
“He’s never gotten in trouble like this before. Just look what he did with Microsoft when he was 5,” his father told The San Diego Union-Tribune.
In 2014, Von Hassel made headlines after he figured out how to log in to his father’s Xbox account without the correct password.
Somehow, the then-child discovered that entering the wrong password into the log-in screen would bring up a second verification screen, the BBC reported at the time.
By doing that, he would be allowed into his father’s account, which let him play games he wasn’t supposed to play.
His father sent the flaw to Microsoft, which led the company to address the issue.
The vandal used permanent marker on the homes on separate occasions, police said
Von Hassel was also awarded a spot on a list of people who have discovered problems for Microsoft products. He was also gifted four free games, $50, and a year-long subscription to Xbox Live.
He was also referred to as the ‘world’s youngest hacker’ for his achievement.
But now he faces a new, and not so fun, reality after his arrest.
His mother, who asked not to be named, said: ‘We’ll be fighting this case. We’re concerned how this will impact his future.’
As of Wednesday afternoon, Von Hassel remains in custody at San Diego Central Jail, according to jail records reviewed by the Daily Mail. His booking photo was not made available.
He is being held on a $122,500 bail on several charges, including vandalism and damage to property, records show.