Building set to become Islamic centre broken into

Break-ins at a vacant cinema that is set to become an Islamic centre are being investigated by police.

The former Ritz Cinema in Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, has been unoccupied for several years but the Wokingham Islamic Centre bought it in the summer.

It was broken into on Monday and Tuesday and graffiti, including a spray painted "leave now", and other offensive messages were daubed onto walls there.

The Islamic centre recently acquired the building after its previous owner, Montreaux Homes, went into liquidation. It had previously secured planning permission to use the site for flats but that has since expired.

Anees Ahmad, one of the centre's trustees, said: "We are part of Wokingham; we are one community.

"One thing I can assure you of is that since we acquired the building, all the neighbours have been very supportive of us."

He said the group wants it to become a "centre for all".

Wokingham's MP Clive Jones said the offenders must not return to cause more damage to the building.

"We don't want that sort of thing here in Wokingham," he said. "That's not the town that Wokingham is. We are pleased to have this Islamic Centre here. The vast majority of people here in Wokingham welcome it.

"Whoever's doing it, they just need to stop. They will get caught if they come back and try to do it again. That won't be good for them."

Thames Valley Police said initially that it was investigating the break-ins as a hate crime but revised that on Thursday.

Sgt Kyle Seaton, from the Wokingham South Neighbourhood Policing Team, said "the offences appear more consistent with anti-social behaviour than motivated by racial or religious hostility."

Anyone who can assist the investigation is asked to contact Thames Valley Police quoting reference 43260561729.