Heartless skelms have broken into a mosque in Schaapkraal, stealing sound equipment worth R15000 and removing two safes on Friday.
Philippi police are investigating a burglary case after the unknown suspect entered Masjied Mahir on Schaap Road through one of the windows and removed speakers inside the mosque.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut, confirms: “A housebreaking case is under investigation after a burglary at a mosque.
“Speakers were stolen during the incident and the suspects are yet to be arrested.”
The imam of the mosque, Sheikh Abubakr Abduraouf, says the break-in occurred at about 1am on Friday morning and two empty safes were also taken.
On CCTV footage, a suspect can be seen walking around inside the mosque removing the mounted speakers.
However, some of the speakers were well secured and the boef tried in vain to remove them.
According to Sheikh Mogamat Cassiem, there’s no sign of forced entry and they suspect that the dief could have snuck in during the day, opened the window skelmpies and came back to steal later.
“The mosque is open to anybody, all day long.
“Someone must have come in during the day, opened the window and must have come back at night through that window because you can’t see the window from the road,” says Sheikh Cassiem.
He says their 500 strong congregation will be affected.
“It is a sad thing to find the door locked but when you come into the mosque, you find the speakers are missing, costing us the money we don’t even have.
“The mosque is not generating any income and how do we function without the stolen stuff?
“I make announcements for our services and we rely on them during our services, hence we’re so saddened and hope we can get help replacing them.”
He says it’s not the first time they are victims of criminals as cars have been stolen and broken into at the mosque before.
Anyone with information about the theft can contact the police or Sheikh Abdurouf on 064 509 2590.