Leaders of St. Paul's Masjid Al-Ihsan mosque step up security after burglary

Police in Anoka County and St. Paul have arrested two men in last month's burglary of Masjid Al-Ihsan, a St. Paul mosque.

Jeremy Glass was arrested in Anoka County on March 1 in a separate case, in which he allegedly stole laptops at a Walmart. St. Paul police arrested Christopher Hughes two days later, according to criminal complaints filed in Ramsey County District Court. Glass, 32, of St. Paul, and Hughes, 27, of St. Paul, are each charged with second-degree burglary, theft of a motor vehicle and attempted theft.

They allegedly broke into Masjid Al-Ihsan using a key and stole a safe containing $4,000 in cash, wallets and a checkbook shortly after midnight on Feb. 27. The charges did not indicate why the suspects chose the mosque or specify whether they were connected to anyone there.

Mosque leaders found the safe was missing the morning after the incident. Reviewing the security footage, they saw two men breaking into the mosque through the main entrance. Mosque leaders told Sahan Journal that congregants felt unsafe after the incident, especially since other mosques in Minnesota have been targeted.

Mohamed Mursal, an imam at Masjid Al-Ihsan, said the mosque hired a nighttime security guard and plans to update its security equipment. He says he's concerned this won't be the last time the mosque is a target of criminal activity.

"We are in better shape now that they got the criminals, but it's not the ending" of the mosque being targeted by vandals, Mursal said. "We informed the community to stay vigilant and know who's around."

According to the charges: Hughes told St. Paul police that Glass picked him up in a black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck and asked Hughes if he would help him with a maintenance job at the mosque. Hughes said Glass went through cars parked outside the mosque the day before and found the keys to the main entrance.

Once they got in, Glass unsuccessfully tried to use the mosque's credit card machine to transfer nearly $14,000 out of the mosque's bank account. Security camera footage from the mosque allegedly showed the suspects carrying a safe, a plastic bag and other items out the main entrance.

Glass declined to speak to police.

Hughes also told police that he helped steal the safe because Glass was threatening him. Hughes carried out bags containing cologne, a Toyota Sienna key fob and other items. Glass told Hughes they were taking the items because the mosque "owed him money," the complaint said.

They fled in the pickup truck. Police later learned that they also used a key fob to take a Toyota Sienna van parked at the mosque. Glass told Hughes the van belonged to someone who owed him, the charges said.

Mursaltold Sahan Journal they're checking to make sure cars aren't parked at the mosque after closing time.

After the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Minnesota and Sahan Journal shared images and video from the incident, police received an anonymous tip from someone who grew up with Glass and Hughes, identifying them in the videos, the complaint said. Another tipster recognized Glass from the jacket he was wearing.

Glass is a suspect in several pending felony cases of theft, receiving stolen property and drug possession. He has been convicted of first-degree aggravated robbery, driving while intoxicated and drug possession. Hughes' felony convictions include receiving stolen property, auto theft and drug possession.

This story comes to you from Sahan Journal, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering Minnesota's immigrants and communities of color. Sign up for its free newsletter to receive stories in your inbox.