:dateline:A gurdwara has expressed its disgust after thieves stole a safe filled with cash and important documents from its premises.
- Karamsar Gurdwara spokesman Harmander Singh
Harmander Singh, 56, spokesman for Karamsar Gurdwara, High Road, Ilford, said the people behind the theft were �mindless� after police issued an appeal this week along with CCTV images of two men wanted in connection with the incident.
The appeal comes after the �large amount of cash� was taken in the early hours of Monday, November 30, last year.
�It�s sad when people attack places of worship, because these places are important,� said Harmander, from Ilford.
�It�s sad that people don�t value places of worship to the point that they target them like this, when they�re for the benefit of everybody. Why did they do it? Why would they want something that doesn�t belong to them? How would they feel if their home was broken into?�
The gurdwara volunteer, who helped establish the place worship, said he believed the theft was not carried out by opportunists, but by people that had �cleverly thought out� the raid.
�It beggars belief that they could do this,� he added. �It�s a real shame.
�This building and its services are provided by the blood sweat and tears of others. That money was donations from people that did an honest day�s work and gave it to a charitable cause � what kind of people would take that? How can we forgive people like that?
�As a worshipper I�m disgusted, what were these people thinking? Especially in the run up to Christmas, these people have no mind.�
Det Con Phil Wellington, of Barkingside Police Station, said: �We hope the release of these images will trigger someone�s memory as High Road is a busy location.�
No arrests have been made and inquires continue.
Anyone with information about the incident is being urged call Redbridge police on 101 and quote 4419785/15.
To report information anonymously call CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.
Why was the Gurdwara keeping cash in a safe like that? Surely they deposit any monies into a bank account as all necessary payments for utilities etc would be made by cheque or direct debit rather than by cash payment (which makes it difficult to leave a money trail for proper auditing of the Gurdwara’s accounts)?