MOHAMMED ZAHID is hopeful that CCTV will help track down the criminals who stole £1,000 worth of his belongings from the Al-Habib Islamic Centre at 8pm on Sunday.

Mohammed, 29, encountered two men walking down a set of stairs away from his flat at the Chapel Street centre. He said: “They asked me if Imram was in, I said I didn’t know who they were looking for and they left. I walked up the stairs to find my door was broken through and my laptop and mobile phone was taken. I was very angry and I still am.”

Mohammed, who has lived at the centre for around a year, ran after the men but couldn’t find them. Along with the Samsung Galaxy and HP notebook, a car parking permit and money was also taken from the flat.

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The centre has given CCTV footage, showing the two men outside the centre, to Wiltshire Police to help with their investigations.

DC Claire Watts, from Swindon’s priority crime team, said: “We have released the images of the men we’d like to speak to as part of our witness appeal. We are hopeful that the public might be able to identify the two men as the CCTV is of good quality and if you know these men you’ll certainly recognise them in the images.”

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Mohammed described both men as being between 22 and 25. One was white, around 6ft 1in tall with blonde hair and stubble. The other was mixed race, around 5ft 5in tall and had black hair.

Abdul Latif, a trustee at the centre, said that he was shocked by the incident and hoped that those responsible will be caught.

He said: “This is a horrible thing to happen in a place of worship and we are extremely disappointed.”

Witnesses are asked to call DC Watts on 01793 507912 or anonymous information can be given to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.