Suspect Stole $150 Air Jordans Outside Pembroke Pines Mosque, Surveillance Video Shows

When Khizr Mohamed returned from praying, his shoes were gone

A suspect on a bike was recorded on surveillance video stealing a pair of pricey sneakers outside a Pembroke Pines mosque as worshipers prayed there this week.

Faria Mohamed said her brother Khizr placed his $150 Nike Air Jordans on a shoe rack outside the Darul Uloom Institute at 7050 Pines Blvd. Tuesday night. Muslims remove shoes, which are considered unclean, before entering a mosque.

But when Khizr Mohamed returned from praying, his sneakers were gone.

"At that point he thought it was a friend or my other brother probably did a prank on him,” Mohamed said.

The video shows the suspect arriving on his bike at the mosque and Islamic training center just after 7:45 p.m. Tuesday night.

He checked out the shoes on the rack and cased the area. He picked up one pair of shoes, put them down, and grabbed another pair that he took with him as he rolled away, the video shows.

The suspect didn’t appear to notice the camera recording him.

"He was pretty disappointed seeing it was somebody from outside coming in and taking the shoes, while they were praying,” Mohamed said of her brother.

The unholy act is upsetting for mosque leader Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed.

"It’s very frustrating because it affects the congregation,” he said.

Spiritual leaders from the mosque say that in just a few months, there have been several pairs of shoes stolen from the mosque – and now many worshippers are wearing slippers so they won’t fall victim.

"I mean, it means we have really gone to the dogs, when people can steal shoes to sell shoes,” Mohamed said.

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