Police in Minneapolis have filed charges against two suspects in connection with a series of burglaries targeting Buddhist and Hindu places of worship in Minnesota’s Twin Cities area. The burglaries, which occurred over the summer, have impacted multiple temples, drawing concern from both faith communities. Authorities believe the suspects are linked to a national theft ring that targeted religious institutions for valuables.
The series of thefts included homes and temples across the Twin Cities region, prompting a multi-jurisdictional investigation. According to police in Maple Grove, a suburb northwest of Minneapolis, two suspects, now in custody, were involved in several burglaries. Among them was a break-in on 6 July at a home in Maple Grove, near the Hindu Society of Minnesota’s temple, which had also been targeted in a previous burglary. In June, US$70,000 worth of jewelry, cash, and sacred religious items were stolen from the temple, devastating the local community.
The suspects now face additional charges for a 14 July burglary at a Buddhist temple in St. Paul. Court documents reveal that a woman who lived at the temple returned from a funeral to find the back door damaged and a cabinet beneath the altar broken into. Around US$200 was reportedly stolen from a small bedroom within the temple. Surveillance footage allegedly shows the suspects moving through the building during the burglary.
Wat Promwachirayan, a Thai Buddhist temple in St. Louis Park, a suburb southwest of Minneapolis, was one of the temples burglarized in June.
“They broke every door in the rooms in that residence,” said longtime resident of the temple Phra Theerapattarapop Phuangmala. “They did it really fast and they really professional to do this. And they try to look in everything. They try to destroy everything in each room too.” (MPR News)
The temple lost around US$7,000, which was intended for temple renovations.
In total, the thieves are believed to have stolen US$100,000 worth of money, jewelry, and sacred objects from 14 temples across the region. The president of the Hindu Society of Minnesota, Shajive Jeganathan, expressed disbelief at the brazenness of the thefts. “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” he said. “It’s so brazen that they could walk in, steal something, wave at a camera, and walk out.” (CBS News)
Jeganathan reached out to the affected temples, noting, “Three of them were Hindu temples and nine of them Buddhist temples from various communities—from the Cambodian, Malawi, and the Thai and the Hmong communities that at least I’m aware of.” (MPR News)
One of the suspects, a 27-year-old man, was being held in Orange County, California, while the second, a 37-year-old, is in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Freeborn County, Minnesota. Both men will be extradited to Maple Grove to face additional charges. The authorities believe the two suspects were part of a burglary crew that systematically targeted places of worship and residences in several areas, including Blaine and Carver County.
“It still shakes me to this day,” Jeganathan said of the thefts and their impact on the temple communities. (CBS News)
Law enforcement personnel have managed to recover approximately US$5,000 worth of stolen items, including rings and earrings, according to Jeganathan. However, many other valuable and sacred items remain missing. “It is highly unlikely at this time that any of the other items will be returned,” he said. “However, one can hope.” (CBS News)
Maple Grove police confirmed that their investigation into the June theft at the Hindu Society of Minnesota was ongoing, with further charges pending.
Despite the losses, Jeganathan expressed gratitude for the efforts of Minnesota law enforcement: “I’m really grateful to Minnesota’s law enforcement agencies. They’ve been above and beyond, and I’m extremely grateful for all the work they did to make sure that our temple will be the last, and Minnesota will be the last place that they could be burglarizing.” (CBS News)
Buddhist and Hindu temples often serve not only as places of worship but also as centers for community gathering and cultural preservation. In the US, temples belonging to both faiths have occasionally faced challenges, including theft and vandalism, highlighting the need for greater awareness and protection of these spaces. The recent burglaries have been a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of sacred sites and the importance of community solidarity in their aftermath.
With investigations ongoing and temple leaders still coping with the aftermath, affected communities remained hopeful that law enforcement efforts would lead to justice and recovery.
See more
Local News Two charged in connection to Twin Cities temple thefts, police say (CBS News)
2 charged after Twin Cities Buddhist, Hindu temples hit by national theft ring (MPR News)
Warrant: 2 men charged in Buddhist temple break-in suspected of similar crimes across metro (KSTP)
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