![$25,000 looted in a series of temple break-ins [ Ontario, Canada ]](https://projecthindukush.com/wp-content/uploads/hindu-priest-hari-bhajan-sharma.jpg)
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![$25,000 looted in a series of temple break-ins [ Ontario, Canada ]](https://projecthindukush.com/wp-content/uploads/hindu-temples-thief.jpg)
[ Reported as seen ]
Thousands of dollars were stolen from them in a series of break-ins over the span of just days from 3 Hindu temples, in Peel Region, Brampton, Toronto in Canada.
Maa Chintpurni Mandir and Shri Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton as well as the Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga were broken into on separate nights late January, 2022.
Maa Chintpurni Mandir was broken into on Jan. 25. An obtained security footage of the break-in, showing a man climbing through a window before making off with the temple’s donation box. Hari Bhajan Sharma, the temple’s head priest, says the crimes have shaken the community. “We came from India all the way to Canada, thinking that Canada is the safest place in the world,” said Sharma, calling the thefts “disturbing.”
The security footage of all the 3 temples show a thief working with a driver. The temples’ priests estimate about $25,000 was stolen.
Two days prior to the Maa Chintpurni Mandir break-in and less than five kilometres down the road, Shri Gauri Shankar Mandir was also broken into.
Dhirendar Tripathi, a priest at the temple, says about $4,000 to $,5000 in donations was taken. He suspects someone familiar with the community is behind the attacks. “He knows everything – what time [we] close, what time [we] open and [where] to go.”
The Hindu Heritage Centre was broken into on Jan. 30.
According to head priest Surendra Sharma Shastri, the thief broke into the electrical room from outside. The room doesn’t have indoor access, he said.
After 20 minutes inside, Shastri says the thief appears to have cut a hole in the wall and jumped several feet down to the banquet room stage to gain access to the donation boxes.
Meanwhile, Hari Bajan Sharma from Maa Chintpurni Mandir says while he doesn’t know why this is happening, knowing it’s affecting Hindu temples specifically is disheartening. “Whoever [is] getting this thing done to our temples, they are doing bad to the community and our government should put their hand in and take out this kind of incident.And all communities – doesn’t matter if this is a temple or gurdwara or church or mosque – all [religious] places should be safe and secure,” he added.
