Showing posts with label
Spinney Hill Park police station.
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Showing posts with label
Spinney Hill Park police station.
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This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:
Temple intruder caught on camera carrying out raid
by Ciaran Fagan
An intruder has been caught on camera raiding a Hindu temple.
The unidentified man broke into the Shree Hindu temple and community centre in St Barnabas Road, Spinney Hills, Leicester, in the early hours of Sunday.
The footage, which was captured by a number of cameras both inside and outside the centre, shows the man entering through a kitchen window shortly after 2.15am.
He is then seen going from room to room, bizarrely at one point crawling on his hands and knees.
At one stage, he is filmed using a fire extinguisher to smash the building's fire alarm system. He is then seen kicking open the door to the centre's main office.
The building's owners said the cost of repairing the damage caused by the intruder was likely to run to several thousand pounds.
They also said about £1,700 in cash had gone missing.
The temple also faces a repair bill of approximately £2,500.
The footage suggests the intruder stayed inside the building for four hours.
An external CCTV camera filmed him scaling the centre's main gate shortly after 6.15am.
Members of the temple who live nearby arrived a short time later, alerted by the building's burglar alarm.
Centre manager Mayur Sisodia [in photo above] said: "This is a place of worship, so people are very upset someone has broken in.
"A large sum of money has been stolen and we are keen to get that back.
"We hope someone can identify this man and tell the police who he is."
Dilip Joshi, the temple's priest, said: "People are very shocked someone would break into a temple."
Sanjay Keshav, a volunteer at the centre, said: "This is a place of worship, a house of God, so you would think it would be safe.
"The money which has gone missing was collected for the benefit of the elderly and needy. The fact it has been taken has caused a lot of distress to people here."
Police have launched an investigation into the break-in.
Inspector Bill Knopp, commander of Spinney Hill Park police station, said: "The people at the temple are upset but they're being very stoical about it and getting on with things.
"We're investigating this as a burglary and we'd like people to look at the CCTV footage and contact us if they know who this man is."
Contact Sgt Jim Kroczak on 101 or Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.
Hunt for arsonist who targeted Leicester mosque
Police are hunting an arsonist who set fire to a banner outside a Leicester mosque.
The large banner had been placed outside the Usmani mosque, in St Saviours Road, Spinney Hills, in honour of the birth of the Prophet Mohammed.
A man was caught on camera setting it alight shortly before 1am last Saturday.
The mosque's imam said yesterday that a passing motorist stopped to put out the fire – preventing the flames from spreading to the rest of the building.
Police yesterday issued a CCTV image and video footage of a man they want to trace. He is Asian and possibly in his 30s. He was wearing a dark puffa-style jacket and dark bottoms.
Moulana Khalid, head imam at the mosque, said the banner was alight for up to 12 minutes before the motorist pulled up and used what appeared to be a large piece of fabric to stifle the flames.
Mr Khalid said: "We are very grateful to this man because the fire could have spread. He may have saved our mosque and we would like to meet him to show how thankful we are.
"People are very upset that someone could set fire to a banner, which we had put on the building for our celebrations."
Suleman Nagdi, spokesman for the Leicestershire Federation of Muslim Organisations, said: "An incident of this type, at any place of worship, would cause great distress.
"We do not know the motivation for this, but the only way to settle disagreements is to sit down together around a table and talk to each other."
Inspector Bill Knopp, commander of Spinney Hill Park police station, said: "The banner was placed on the wall to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed and the congregation has been deeply saddened by this malicious damage.
"We have been working closely with the mosque committee since the incident was reported and would urge the community to help us identify the person responsible.
"From inquiries we've conducted so far, we know a passing motorist stopped at the scene to put the fire out.
"We would urge this person to contact the police as he may be able to provide vital information which could assist with the inquiries.
"The mosque committee would also like to speak to him and thank him for his assistance during the incident.
"Any calls received will be treated in confidence."
Contact Pc Victoria Parker on 101.
From today's Leicester Mercury:
Police investigate hate mail campaign against Muslims
Police are investigating a hate mail campaign in which racist material has been posted to Muslim community groups.
The threatening letter and a series of offensive drawings specifically ridiculing Islam were sent to at least nine organisations, chiefly in the Highfields and Spinney Hills area of Leicester.
The final line of the letter contains the sinister message: "You will expect to receive a box from Pandora and a bright sun shall light up your organisation."
The sender claims to be a representative of the infamous race-hate organisation the Ku Klux Klan.
The material was also sent to the Leicester Mercury's headquarters.
Suleman Nagdi, spokesman for the Leicestershire Federation of Muslim Organisations, said: "We are working closely with the police to help them find the person responsible for this hate mail.
"We have passed on all the information that we can, and we sincerely hope the police catch the perpetrators of this crime, which has caused deep upset."
Mr Nagdi said the targeted groups were all members of the federation, which is an umbrella body for mosques and other Muslim groups in the city and county.
Detective Inspector Rob Widdowson said: "Early indications are that the letters have been sent by one person.
"We recognise the seriousness of these offences and are committed to identifying the offender."
He said it was important that recipients of the documents handled them as little as possible to give police a better chance of obtaining forensic evidence.
"If people identify what they believe to be an offensive letter, please put it to one side and contact us immediately."
Inspector Bill Knopp is commander of Spinney Hill Park police station, which covers the area of the city where many of the affected organisations are based.
He said: "We are taking this investigation very seriously in recognition of the impact these letters and drawings have had on those who received them."
Police are keeping an open mind on what offences have been committed by those behind the hate mail.
It is most likely that the charge, if brought, would be the offence of malicious communications, which can be punished with a prison sentence of up to six months.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Con Widdowson on 0116 222 2222, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or send information via the police's website.
From today's Leicester Mercury:
Beat bobby shows solidarity by fasting with colleagues
By Ciaran Fagan, Social Affairs Corresspondent
A police officer wanted to know how Muslim colleagues and people on his beat felt while fasting during Ramadan – so he went without food himself.
Sergeant Danny Graham, who works at Leicester's Spinney Hill Park police station, abstained from food during daylight hours for three consecutive days this week.
On each occasion, he then went on to break his fast with worshippers at the Masjid Umar mosque in Evington Road.
He said: "I wanted to do it because it gave me a small insight to what colleagues and people in the community do during Ramadan.
"I did it for a day last year, but I went for three days this time.
"It is a challenge but it was a pleasure to break the fast with the people at the mosque each time.
"It makes you focus your thinking and appreciate all the things we have and that there are many poor people in this world who have little or no food and water."
Inspector Bill Knopp, commander at Spinney Hill Park station, said: "Danny is responsible for an area which has a very diverse Muslim community and he wanted to step into their shoes for a while.
"Last year, he fasted for a day to show solidarity with the four Muslim colleagues we have here at the station who were fasting at that time.
"This time, he has gone for three days and that is a credit to him."
Suleman Nagdi, spokesman for the Leicestershire Federation of Muslim Organisations, said: "I'm sure members of the community will appreciate Sgt Graham's gesture.
"It's a good example of how people in Leicester want to learn about each other.
"Fasting helps people realise how fortunate they are when there are so many in this world who do not have even the basics – as we are seeing in East Africa at the moment."
The dates of Ramadan, which concludes at the end of the month, change each year because they are governed by the lunar calendar.
This year, members of the community will face some of the longest days in recent times, on occasions fasting for about 19 hours.
Pc Yusuf Nagdi, who works at Spinney Hill Park station, told the Mercury last week how he combined his duties with his faith commitments.
He said: "It is a juggling act, but one that I feel I can do well, thanks to a few changes such as when I start work, and fitting in prayers during my patrols.
"Obviously, if there was an incident that would take priority, but as long as I am not too busy, I am encouraged to pop into the local mosques in my beat, in uniform, and carry out my prayers."
