The following is via CBS Chicago:

Naperville Police are searching for a person who vandalized a popular Jewish deli on Sunday. Schmaltz Deli is a popular eatery located in Naperville, a suburb located west of Chicago.

As CBS 2�s Mai Martinez reports, police say the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.

CBS: What did you think when you first saw the picture?

�Honestly, I couldn�t believe it,� said Howard Bender, owner of Schmaltz Deli.

Bender is talking about graffiti found outside his Naperville deli.

�I�m in shock,� Bender said. �I�m bitter.

Someone spray-painted the message, �free gaza,� on the sidewalk outside Schmaltz Deli on Sunday, shortly after it closed at 3 p.m.

�I immediately said call the police,� Bender said.

�I recognized that it was targeted. I recognized that it was clearly a hate crime.�

And Naperville police agree.

�The reason they left it there, obviously painted it there, is because it is a Jewish deli,� said Naperville Police Commander Lou Cammiso.

�It�s not threatening. It�s a political statement, I guess, but because they�re Jewish that qualifies.�

CBS: It elevated it to a hate crime?

�Yeah, they didn�t leave that in front of an Italian restaurant. The left in front of the Jewish restaurant, probably because of their religion,� Cmdr. Cammiso said.

Naperville police are now reviewing video from the deli�s cameras and others cameras from businesses in the area� hoping to find an image of the offender.

CBS: Does it help his or her defense if they turn themselves in?

�You know, cooperation always kind of goes a long way with prosecutors and the court,� Cmdr. Cammiso said.

Bender said it took him two hours to clean up the graffiti. Now a new message is displayed in the deli�s window, just above where the hateful one was: �Hate Has No Home Here.�

�We need to stand up against it,� Bender said. �We just do. We need to stand together.�

Naperville Police told CBS 2 that because it is classified as a hate crime, the person responsible could be charged with a Class 4 felony; that means a fine up to $25,000 and up to 3 years in prison.