A man has been caught on CCTV stealing money from a charity box at a place of worship in Indonesia.

CCTV footage from the Baitul Jalal Muhammadiyah mosque in Bukittinggi city, West Sumatra province, shows the theft on 19 August.

The perpetrator's modus operandi was to pretend to be praying while looking at a charity box to be taken, then take it to the toilet on the ground floor to force it open and take all the money in the box.

During the operation, the perpetrator appeared unaware that CCTV cameras had been installed at several points, so his faces were clearly visible.

Baitul Jalal Muhammadiyah mosque administrator Akmal Datuak said on Tuesday (22 August) that the theft was discovered when a worshipper found a broken charity box in the toilet.

"The culprit took the charity box to the toilet and damaged it there. The perpetrator acted when the mosque was quiet in the late afternoon," Datuak added.

The perpetrator made off with the money in the box, which is estimated to be more than one million rupiah, or about US$65.

The theft has been reported to the police. Mosque officials have also circulated photos and videos of the culprit taken by CCTV so that he can be apprehended and the public can be made aware of him.