An investigation is underway after a Lewisville mosque containing donations for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria was burglarized on Monday.
Officials say that an unknown suspect entered the Islamic Association of Lewisville and Flower Mound (IALFM) mosque around 10:30 a.m. on Monday and stole money that was being held in metal lockboxes, as reported by WFAA News. The suspect was wearing a hood and a backpack at the time of the burglary.
IALFM President Abdul-Razaq Khazi-Syed said that the mosque was closed at the time, but the suspect was able to enter through an unlocked door.
“It upsets me very much because a facility set up to be a place of worship … has been turned into the scene of a crime,” said Khazi-Syed, per WFAA.
Khazi-Syed also said that the mosque would begin to reconsider its security procedures but that the real upsetting part of this crime was that the stolen money was for the earthquake victims.
“We are going to review our security procedures,” Khazi-Syed said, as reported by Fox 4 News. “Our sadness is deepened since some of the stolen money was intended to help at the refugee relief efforts.”
There was significant damage in the donation room, where the money was held in lockboxes. Khazi-Syed said the suspect used a saw to tear open the door and unlock the knob. Ultimately, lockboxes were destroyed, and sawdust now covers the room.
Khazi-Syed said he does not want this incident to affect relief efforts from the mosque.
“We’re not going to allow this one incident to feel differently about how we feel about our community and our place,” said Khazi-Syed, as reported by WFAA.
Donations are still being accepted by the Turkish American Association of Northern Texas at various locations, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. Locations include Downtown Dallas, Garland, and Carrollton.