A case of housebreaking and theft took place on 12 July and occurred at the Seu Teck Sean Tong Yiang Sin Sia, a temple situated along Bedok North Ave 3 in Singapore and a 52-year-old man was arrested by the Singapore Police Force, according to a police statement.
The incident came to light when the temple caretaker, Mr. Yu, arrived at the temple on Wednesday morning at approximately 7:00 am. To his dismay, he discovered that a 200kg safe box, meant to serve as an offerings box, was missing from its spot outside a temporary tent, according to Shin Min Daily News.
This tent, housing thousands of spirit tablets, was set up during a recent expansion and renovation project undertaken by the temple in June 2023.
In addition to the missing safe box, Mr. Yu noticed that one of the offering boxes on the left side of the temple had its lock picked, and the money inside had been stolen.
Furthermore, a damaged trolley was found at the scene, presumably broken while the culprit transported the safe box away from the temple grounds.
While it was difficult to ascertain the exact amount of money stolen, given that the temple had not yet tallied the total offerings for two weeks due to the non-peak season, Mr. Yu estimated the loss to be between S$3,000 and S$5,000.
Police Response
The Singapore Police Force was promptly alerted to the case of housebreaking at around 7:20 am on the same day. Officers from the Bedok Police Division, using images obtained from CCTV cameras and police surveillance, launched ground enquiries to identify the suspect.
Following the man’s apprehension, the donation safe box, the trolley, and cash amounting to approximately S$90 were successfully recovered.
The suspect faced charges related to housebreaking and theft, offenses that carry severe penalties under Singaporean law.
If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years of imprisonment, a significant fine, and caning as part of his punishment.
Temple
The Seu Teck Sean Tong Yiang Sin Sia is a revered temple with deep historical and cultural significance in the community it serves.
The temple’s recent expansion and renovation project aimed to provide enhanced facilities for its growing number of devotees.