KUALA TERENGGANU: Police have urged mosque committees and theft victims to duly report any crime no matter how minor, that had been committed at the premises.
Terengganu police chief Datuk Aidi Ismail said lodging the report was crucial in facilitating investigation, as well as theft prevention.
“The value of the stolen items may not be significant but if the thefts are not curbed, they will reflect badly on the mosques.
“Many of the culprits are also involved in drug abuse,” he said after the promotion ceremony for senior officers of Terengganu Contingent Police at Paya Bunga Square here today.
He said there had been 96 cases of theft in mosques and vicinity, involving 56 motorcycles, seven cars and 33 items belonging to worshippers and mosques.
According to him, 48 people including a woman had been arrested and 14 were found to be drug addicts.
On the video that went viral recently, of a man wearing a veil and entering the mosque at Wakaf Tembesu, Kuala Nerus to steal the handbag of a woman who was performing ‘solat subuh’, he said police were making efforts to trace the suspect.
“The CCTV footage was not clear so we could not determine the registration number of the car used by the suspect.
“We would like mosque committees throughout the state to record the registration number of any white coloured Myvi that comes to their premises,” he said.
Aidi also advised mosque committees to empty the donation boxes after prayers to prevent theft. - Bernama