A shoe dief targeting mosques in Mitchells Plain was nabbed by wakker members of the Tafelsig West Neighbourhood Watch on Wednesday evening.
The 42-year-old skelm was caught on camera jepping an expensive paar Crocs worth R900 at a mosque in Tafelsig while musalees were praying.
However, his shopping spree was cut short when members of the neighbourhood watch caught him outside the Daarul Ihsaan Institute Mosque in Everest Crescent just after 8pm.
Imaam Abduragiem Abrahams says the Crocs were stolen about two weeks ago and they’ve been on the look out for the dief.
The disappointed imam says: “This is a brother that embraced Islam, he used to come here often on a Fridays, and we always welcomed him.
“Then one day a brother’s expensive Crocs disappeared. We checked the camera and saw it was him, he also did not come back again for two weeks.”
Abrahams says the neighbourhood watch were asked to look out for the man.
Abrahams adds: “For the past three or four days, they kept a look out, then he came back again and they stopped him.
“When we finished making salaah, they informed us that he was caught and we phoned the owner, but the shoes were sold in Town Centre.”
Abrahams says they decided to not open a case but instead will pray for the man.
The holy man says: “The owner of the shoes decided that we should instead be an example, because hy’t net in die deen gekom, so we will keep praying.”
Tafelsig ward councillor Washiela Harris urged residents to be aware of their surroundings, and keep an eye on their belongings when going to pray.
She commended the neighbourhood watch members for their hard work and dedication to fight crime.
She says: “They are the unsung heroes who are trying their utmost to keep our communities safe.
“They are the eyes and the ears of the police and law enforcement, that is why we need to appreciate and acknowledge the great work they are doing, while having families of their own.”
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirms while Mitchells Plain SAPS knows about this incident, no case has been opened and no arrest has been made.