POLICE want to speak to this man after a mosque was targeted by burglars for the third time this year.

Senior members of the Faizan-e-Madina mosque in Richmond Road, Accrington, have been left ‘shocked and upset’ by the incidents, having already increased security at the building.

The most recent offence saw an offender force open a rear fire door.

Once inside, he got into the main office, before escaping with a computer tower and some petty cash.

Abid Hussain, chairman of the mosque committee, said a new alarm system and CCTV had recently been installed, but the alarm failed to go off.

He said: “I don’t know why we’ve been targeted but it’s very shocking and upsetting.

“Mosques are run by the public and it’s very abnormal for people to target religious places.”

He met with committee members on Monday night to discuss the incidents, the most recent of which took place between 5.30am and 8am on Sunday, August 25.

The same mosque was targeted twice by burglars in April. On the morning of April 6, someone forced open the fire exit and escaped with a substantial sum of cash and some gold.

Then, in the early hours of April 28, burglars got in through a window and stole a 50-inch flatscreen television and £200 in charitable donations.

Officers said they were ‘keeping an open mind’ about whether the offences are linked.

PC Cora Haworth said: “This is the third time this year this particular mosque has been targeted.

“I would appeal to anybody who recognises the man in the CCTV or with any information about this offence to contact Lancashire Police on 101.”

People with information can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or on-line at Crimestoppers-uk.org