Suffolk police say Mother Nature is to blame for a smashed menorah in Holbrook, but many residents disagree.

Police say the 10-foot menorah was made of PVC piping which becomes brittle and can crack in the cold. Officials point out that on December 14, the night vandals allegedly wrecked the menorah, the temperature was 14 degrees and the wind was blowing at 29 miles per hour. Police say the biggest piece of evidence was a video surveillance camera at an ATM machine across the street. Police say the tape shows the menorah standing at 6:30 a.m., and then laying on the ground with no apparent tampering.

Many residents and chamber of commerce members find the police explanation hard to swallow. One member said the menorah was covered in kick marks that weather conditions could not make. These residents say the menorah destruction was a hate crime against the Jewish community.