Over the weekend, two separate incidents of burglary occurred in Seattle, involving a mosque and a nearby residence. The Seattle Police Department is actively searching for three male suspects believed to be involved.
The first incident took place at a community mosque, where the suspects were caught on security footage rummaging through the premises. Cham Refugee Center president, Sarafine Appadolo, discovered the intrusion after tenants from a nearby property, owned by the center, reported a break-in and theft of personal items. Surveillance footage confirmed that the same three individuals seen trespassing at the mosque were later observed breaching the nearby residence.
The Cham Refugees Community took to social media to warn the local community and neighboring centers about the incidents. 'On Sunday, there were three men who trespassed our properties. We ask the community and surrounding centers to be aware and cautious as multiple centers have been targeted like Islamic Center of Federal Way and Seattle Sikh center,' the community posted.
Appadolo expressed his concern and vulnerability as a result of these incidents. 'It does put us in a vulnerable state. It's disheartening as well because we are just trying to practice our faith and keep to ourselves for the most part,' he shared. The suspects were observed entering the religious center between prayer sessions, displaying suspicious behavior such as wearing shoes upon entry and rummaging through donation boxes.
Fortunately, the suspects were startled before being able to take any valuable items from the mosque. Appadolo explained, 'Because it’s an Islamic Center we have prayer five times a day. They noticed people coming and kind of bailed out.' This interruption likely prevented further losses.
The Seattle Police Department has launched an investigation into both incidents and is exploring the possibility of a connection between the burglaries and a previous break-in at another place of worship. Authorities are actively searching for the three suspects and urging the public to remain vigilant and report any relevant information.
It is unfortunate that places of worship, which should be safe havens for communities, are targeted by criminals. However, incidents like these highlight the importance of strengthening security measures and fostering unity within communities. By coming together and remaining vigilant, we can work towards ensuring the safety of our sacred spaces.
