Ontario: Durham Regional Police reported that at least six burglaries took place at different temples in the area. While three incidents took place this month, three additional temples were targeted in September.
According to a press release from Durham Police, there were allegations of multiple break-ins at three temples within its jurisdiction in the early hours of October 8. These have been named as the Hindu Mandir Durham in Oshawa, the Sankat Mochan Mandir in Ajax, and the Devi Mandir in Pickering.
The Devi Mandir was spared from theft from the donation boxes as the priest living in the premises, Girish Khali, pulled the fire alarm which caused the suspect to flee. The three temples in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) are the Chintpurni Temple in Brampton, which was targeted on September 9, Rameshwar Mandir in Caledon, robbed on September 18 and the Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga, on October 4.
The guy behind the the burglaries was described by police as about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing about 200 pounds. He was observed walking around in a pair of green camo cargo pants, a black poofy jacket with a tight hood, a blue surgical mask and green running shoes. He was seen limping while walking. The invader can also be seen limping in media-viewed CCTV footage from the Hindu Heritage Centre.