Cops on ‘holy heist’ hunt for temple donation box bandit

Police are intensifying efforts to apprehend a thief who targeted a temple in Ayutthaya, Thailand, stealing a donation box meant for utility expenses. The incident occurred yesterday, November 4, at approximately 5pm at Wat Pradu Song Tham, located in Phai Ling subdistrict, Ayutthaya, when a suspect made away with the wooden donation box.

Police Lieutenant Virunkit Tantarakul from the Ayutthaya City Police Station received a report of the theft within the temple’s chapel. The suspect attempted to break into a metal donation box but was unsuccessful, leading to the theft of the wooden box.

Upon receiving the report, law enforcement, along with a patrol team and investigators, were promptly dispatched to the scene to scrutinise the situation.

Inside the temple’s chapel, signs of attempted theft were evident on the metal donation box. However, the wooden donation box intended for water and electricity payments was missing.

Police launched a search and eventually discovered the stolen box abandoned under a tree behind the temple. It was partially buried with soil, and the glass of the box was shattered.

While a few coins remained, all banknotes had been taken. The police collected the box as evidence, aiming to retrieve latent fingerprints for further investigation.

Visitors and devotees, who regularly contribute to the temple’s utility expenses, were present during the incident. One of the temple’s monks, 57 year old Mana Thanavaro, reported witnessing a thin man carrying a white fabric bag inside the chapel earlier in the day.

Temple theft

The man appeared to be praying, bowing before the principal Buddha statue and Luang Pho Suea, leading the monk to believe he was a tourist. It wasn’t until the evening, when the monk returned to clean the chapel in preparation for evening prayers, that he noticed the wooden donation box was missing.

After searching around the temple without success, he eventually found it hidden behind the temple.

The temple’s surveillance footage was reviewed by investigators, revealing a suspect believed to be between 25 and 35 years old, described as thin and carrying a cloth bag. The footage showed the suspect entering the chapel, pretending to pray when others were present, and inspecting the donation boxes.

Unable to pry open the metal box, the suspect resorted to taking money from a donation bowl designated for offerings based on one’s birthday. Eventually, the individual lifted the wooden donation box and exited the chapel from the rear, reported KhaoSod.

The police plan to continue their investigation, using the evidence gathered to identify and capture the suspect responsible for this crime.