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Davis Mosque Targeted By Burglars Again

For the second time in two months, the Islamic Center in Davis was burglarized.

CBS13 went to the Islamic Center of Davis during it's time for daily evening prayer.

"People come here to worship, people come to ask for forgiveness," said Sal Fanhous, who attends the mosque.

And forgiveness is what one crook could use after breaking into the mosque and stealing cash from the donation box.

"It's kind of awkward that it's back-to-back month-to-month. It's unexpected," said Musleh Muthana, who prays at the mosque.

Unexpected is right, Musleh Muthana says enough is enough after two break-ins here in two months and one last year. He has been praying here for years and says the money the thief stole is needed.

"Basically it's the community's money going back to the mosque," said Muthana.

The money is meant to pay for utilities and maintenance at the mosque, but police say someone jimmied open a door last Sunday morning and grabbed it all.

Surveillance video from a February break-in shows a man climbing through an unlocked window and stealing as much as $1,000 in donations.

"It's wrong. Basically it's wrong; doesn't matter if it happened here or somewhere else," said Fanhous.

Sal Fanhous says desperate people will do desperate things like hatch a heist at a holy house of worship.

"Everybody checks the windows. They lock the doors," said Fanhous.

Even with the extra awareness, it wasn't enough to keep thieves out.

"Probably this is the last time. I hope so; that's what I'm hoping," said Fanhous.

Police are reviewing surveillance video of this latest break-in.

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