A monk’s residence at Sri Khun Mueang Temple, Udon Thani, was broken into, resulting in the theft of money and electronics. The incident occurred early in the morning when the monk was attending a morning prayer session.
Police Major Chakrapong Tongtam, an investigator at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station, along with the Pirun investigative team, responded to a report of theft at the temple, officially known as Wat Ban Lao.
The theft took place in the residence of 70 year old monk, Aphisit Khamin, who has been ordained for 10 years. Upon inspection, it was found that the front door had been forcibly opened, damaging the lock and latch.
Inside, the room was not heavily disturbed, but 6,500 baht (US$200) in cash, which was kept in a storage compartment, was missing. This money was part of daily donations.
Additionally, personal identification and important documents were also taken. Another monk’s residence nearby was also targeted, resulting in the theft of a laptop.
Monk Aphisit stated that he left for morning prayers with other monks at 4.50am and returned at 5.30am to find the door forced open and belongings missing.
He expressed shock and disappointment as the stolen money was from donations. He speculated that the thief used a gardening tool to pry open the door, as he noticed its unusual placement after the incident.
Despite adhering to strict monastic codes, the monk expressed frustration, wishing for the police to catch the culprit. The police collected fingerprints and reviewed CCTV footage from the temple and surrounding areas to track down the suspect, reported KhaoSod.
Initial investigations suggest that the thief might be familiar with the temple’s layout, targeting specific areas for valuables, possibly due to a belief that monks possess significant amounts of money. Police have urged temples and important locations to enhance security, particularly during morning prayers, to prevent further incidents.
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