Thief caught on camera stealing 11-year-old's shoes as Muslims pray in Cardiff mosque

  • Watch as a man steals shoes as Muslims pray at a mosque in Cardiff

A thief has been caught on camera stealing shoes as Muslims pray at a mosque in Cardiff.

Footage shows the hooded man looking around the building, then spending some time looking at the shoes left outside.

He then appears to choose a £70 colourful pair of Adidas trainers which belonged to 11-year-old Ramos.

The man then stands with the shoes and looks around twice more before quickly leaving the mosque with the trainers.

Ramos' father, Mohammad Saeed, said his son is devastated and it is not the first time it has happened.

Mr Saeed, from Newport, claims Ramos was praying at Iqra mosque on Corporation Road, Cardiff when a man appears to enter as worshippers walk around him.

Ramos, 11, was devastated when he realised his special trainers were missing after he finished his prayers.

It is common practice in Islam for prayer to take place with footwear removed and usually shoes are left in the reception area.

Mr Saeed said: “We are really annoyed and frustrated. This is not the first time this has happened, it happened in the summer too.

“We keep the doors open to the mosque because we are welcoming and we don’t want to lock our doors.

“When we pray, we all pray and we trust the people who come to the mosque. There is no-one outside to keep an eye out and there shouldn’t need to be, because we trust.”

The father explained his son was “shocked and surprised” when he realised his shoes were gone.

He added: “So was the Imam and the other members of the community. Because people who go to the mosque do not steal. It doesn’t happen, it’s not something you expect to happen.

“My son had to borrow a spare size nine pair of shoes to get home. He could have put both feet in just one of the shoes.”

Mr Saeed says the alleged theft happened between 5pm and 7pm on November 9.

“I am still annoyed about it now because we can’t buy those trainers in the UK. My wife bought them while abroad, and they are specially made Adidas trainers.

“We bought them for Ramos because he had an injury while playingfootball and so he had to have special trainers.”

Ramos attends the mosque five days a week in the evenings to learn about Islam and its teachings. Mr Saeed said he is concerned that such incidents will continue to happen.