Security Incident At Chabad of Bal Harbor Sparks Scare

by CrownHeights.info

A security incident outside the Bal Harbor Chabad House sparked a scare Sunday night, promoting to police to shut down the adjacent road and call in the bomb squad.

The incident took place at approximately 8:00pm Sunday evening on Collins Ave, a main street that passes by the large Chabad Shul, when a Arabic speaking man suddenly parked his car outside the entrance of the shul and attempted to enter the building.

According to reports, the man appeared intoxicated, and after being stopped by the building’s security, began to pray in Arabic.

Out of an abundance of caution, the police decided to close Collins Ave, bringing in the bomb squad to ensure that the car parked outside the entrance was safe.

After clearing the car, the police declared the scene safe and reopened the road.

The shul, a major hub of Jewish activity for the Bal Harbor/Surfside Jewish community, has been the scene of bomb scares in the past, with one taking place in January of 2020 that evacuated the building.