Alleged mosque burglar remanded for 15 days

A young man arrested on suspicion of stealing from multiple mosques in Male’ City has been remanded in custody of the police for 15 days.

The suspect, a 31-year-old Maldivian male, was arrested red handed on Monday. He was presented before the Criminal Court for his remand hearing the same day. According to a police spokesperson, the court remanded him in custody of the police for 15 days.

The suspect is believed to have stolen fans from multiple mosques in the Maldivian capital. According to the police, he was arrested carrying a fan believed to have been stolen.

The police have managed to recover six stolen fans which the suspect sold.

The police also believe it was he who stole a water meter from the Dharumavantha Mosque on March 30.

At least one of the other mosques he targeted is the Masjid al-Thaqwaa, in Henveiru district of Male’.

Earlier this week, the Male’ City Council shared CCTV footage of a man stealing a stand fan from the mosque at around 10:00 pm on Wednesday, March 27. According to the city council, seven fans were stolen from Masjid al-Thaqwaa over the course of three nights.

Reports of thefts from mosques have increased this Ramadan. The theft of the water meter had been the second time for the Dharumavantha Mosque to be hit within the span of a week. On March 24, thieves took two fans installed on the walls of the mosque.

And on March 18, vandals damaged the water taps and toilets in the women’s wudu areas of Bandaara Mosque and Masjid Al-Sultan Muhammad Bin Abdullah (Viyafaariveringe Mosque).

While rare, acts of vandalism targeting mosques have taken place in the past. Though mosques have CCTV cameras, it has proved an ineffective deterrent against such crimes.