Suspect arrested for stealing donations from Sri Lanka temple in Adelaide

By Easwaran Rutnam in Adelaide

A suspect has been arrested for stealing donations from a Sri Lanka Buddhist temple and other temples in Adelaide.

The South Australia Police said that a man had been arrested after an investigation into a series of break-ins and thefts from Buddhist temples across the Adelaide Hills and metropolitan areas.

The break-ins and thefts of donations occurred at Thebarton, Flinders Park, Crafers, Mylor and Mount Pleasant.

A Sri Lankan Buddhist temple in Adelaide was looted last month with a thief stealing the donations from worshipers.

CCTV footage showed the man walk into the Adelaide Sri Lanka Buddhist Vihara and walk out after committing the crime.

The man had walked into the temple and stole approximately ASD 3000 from the donation box and escaped.

The Chief incumbent of the temple, the Venerable Udagabbala Sumedha Thero, was in the temple when the crime was committed.

The same man had stolen money from another Buddhist temple in South Australia recently.

The South Australia Police said that about 7.30pm last night, Wednesday 7 June, Northern District Police found the suspect?s unoccupied vehicle in a car park on the Grove Way, Salisbury Heights. Police searched the surrounding area and located and arrested the suspect.

The 44-year-old Elizabeth North man was charged with numerous offences, including aggravated serious criminal trespass, three counts of serious criminal trespass, two counts of illegal interference and 12 counts of theft. (Colombo Gazette)