Male’ City Council Shares CCTV Footage of Mosque Theft Amidst Rising Trend

Male’ City Council has released CCTV footage capturing a man in the act of theft from a mosque in Male’, highlighting a concerning trend of similar incidents occurring across the Male’ city.

The footage, made public by the city council this morning, depicts the theft of a stand fan from Masjid al-Thaqwaa in Henveiru district of Male’. The incident, recorded by a CCTV camera at approximately 10:00 pm on Wednesday, March 27, underscores a troubling pattern of theft targeting religious institutions.

City officials reported a total of seven fans stolen from Masjid al-Thaqwaa over three consecutive nights, prompting swift action from authorities. “We have shared this video footage with the police,” stated the council.

Despite efforts to apprehend the perpetrator, law enforcement has yet to announce any leads or identifications in connection with the case.

Incidents of theft from mosques have become increasingly prevalent during the holy month of Ramadan. Just last Saturday night, thieves absconded with a water meter from Dharumavantha Mosque, marking the second instance of theft within a week. Prior to this, on March 24, two fans were reported stolen from the same mosque.

The trend extends beyond mere theft, with acts of vandalism also on the rise. On March 18, vandals inflicted damage upon the water taps and toilets in the women’s wudu areas of both Bandaara Mosque and Masjid Al-Sultan Muhammad Bin Abdullah (Viyafaariveringe Mosque).

While such acts of vandalism remain uncommon, they are not unprecedented. Despite the presence of CCTV surveillance within mosques, it appears to have limited efficacy in deterring criminal activity of this nature.