Police officers in Makassar, South Sulawesi, have arrested Ismail, 50, accusing him of thrice stealing leather shoes belonging to private employee Muhammad Arfan.

Makassar Police crime unit chief Sr. Adj. Comr. Indratmoko said Ismail had been a fugitive for four months. The shoes were usually stolen during Friday prayer, taken from the lines of footwear outside Ar Ridwan Mosque in Bungoro, Pangkep while the owners were praying inside.

Not once. Not twice. Ismail has been accused of stealing leather shoes from there three times in the past four months from the same person.

“So the victim had lost his shoes three times while he was attending Friday prayer there,” Indratmoko said on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.

After he was stolen from a third time, Arfan grew suspicious of a motorcycle parked in the mosque’s lot. He alleged that the motorcycle belonged to the thief, who he claimed unintentionally left it behind as he fled the scene.

Feeling upset for losing his shoes a third time, Arfan filed a report to the police with the motorcycle as evidence.

Ismail was subsequently arrested in Makassar. Police claim he told them that he sold the stolen leather shoes to different people. The police are developing the case.

Ismail and his motorcycle are currently be held at the Pangkep Police office.

“His targets were brand-name shoes and sandals. He usually did it on Friday, while the shoes' owners were solemnly praying inside the mosque,” Indratmoko said. (vla)