Thief breaks into mosque donation box and steals 15,000 TL

A thief who broke into a mosque's donation box with a hammer in the Manavgat district of Antalya stole approximately 15,000 TL from inside. Teams reviewing security camera footage stated that the individual had previously committed thefts at the same mosque and other mosques in the surrounding area.

The incident occurred at the Kavaklı Mosque located in the Kavaklı Neighborhood of Manavgat, Antalya. Noticing that the mosque door had been broken into, the mosque official called the 112 Emergency Call Center and reported the situation to the Manavgat District Police Department.

Upon the report, Public Security Bureau teams arrived at the scene and determined during their investigation that the upper part of the entrance door had been broken to gain entry, and that the safe in the imam's room, where donations were collected, had been broken open with a hammer.

''HE DID NOT TOUCH THE COINS''

As a result of the investigation by the Manavgat District Police Department Public Security Bureau teams, it was determined that approximately 15,000 TL in cash had been stolen from the donation box. While it was observed that the thief did not touch the coins in the box, it was stated that the total damage, including the broken door and the stolen money, amounted to 35,000 TL. As a result of the teams' examination of the mosque's security cameras, the individual was identified as Şahin Mert G.

''HE HAS COMMITTED THEFTS FROM MANY MOSQUES''

It was learned that Şahin Mert G. had previously entered the same mosque and various other mosques in Manavgat multiple times to commit theft and has numerous files related to theft. In the footage reflected on the security camera during the moment of the theft, the moments when Şahin Mert G. walked around the mosque courtyard and entered the mosque were captured second by second. While the individual created the impression of a citizen going to the gym with a backpack on his back, it was reported that the bag contained tools he used for theft, such as pliers, a screwdriver, a hammer, and a chisel.