A 34-year-old man repeatedly broke into a Blackburn mosque and stole cash from a charity collection box.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Salim Ali was eventually caught after closed circuit TV showed him entering and leaving the place of worship by removing and replacing a double glazed unit.

And scenes of crimes investigators were able to identify Ali after taking fingerprints from the window.

Ali, of Palmer Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to three charges of theft from the Jaame Masjad Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre, Cumberland Street in the Audley Range area.

He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said there was no indication of how much had been stolen on the three separate occasions Ali had entered the mosque because the collection box contained donations from worshipers which were not recorded.

After his arrest Ali initially denied ever having been in the mosque but later admitted entering on August 25 and 31 and September 1.

He told police he took the money to fund his heroin habit.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said his client was deeply ashamed of what he had done. He said since his release from a prison sentence for being involved in the production of Class A drugs Ali had done his best to rebuild his life. He was living with his wife and three children and working whenever he could.

“He was having difficulties with his methadone prescription at the time and was desperate for money,” said Mr Taylor. “That has been sorted out and hopefully there should be no more problems in the future.”