A man who burgled a mosque in Leicester was jailed just 36 hours after committing the offence.
Police officers on a routine patrol during the early hours of Sunday morning heard a security alarm going off at the Faiza-E-Raza Mosque on Humberstone Road in Leicester.
The officers approached the mosque, which used to be a church, and entered through an open door where they found Kieran Smith, 39, hiding in one of the rooms.
A door and window in the mosque were damaged and a big donation box usually kept in the main prayer hall was found in another room.
Smith was charged with burglary and appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court the next morning, where he pleaded guilty to burglary and was jailed for three months.
The perpetrator also pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and with no insurance for an unrelated offence in January.
He was jailed for another three months and disqualified from driving for three years.
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Inspector Paul Allen, commander for East Leicester neighbourhood policing area for Leicestershire Police, said: “This result is a great example of police work.
“A prolific offender with a history of committing burglaries was arrested, charged, appeared in court and jailed within 36 hours of the incident.
“These types of offences leave a massive impact on the local community. The mosque is a listed building and the cost of repairing the damage will be significant for them.
“We will continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and courts to ensure offenders are dealt with swiftly and face the consequences of their actions.”
