Praying at the Mosque

When I was a student at university I went to a mosque to pray. It is necessary to take off your shoes before you enter a mosque. So I took off my shoes and put them on the shelf. These shoes were brand new and very expensive.
After praying I went back to where I had left my shoes and saw a man trying on my shoes. I explained to him that they were my shoes. The man apologized saying that his shoes looked the same--but this wasn't true!
If I had returned a few minutes later I wouldn't have found my shoes!!
FERIDUN