Gang of thieves specializing in "hunting" for antiques in temples and pagodas caught
Four subjects pretended to be "rich people", rented a car and drove around the relic sites of communal houses and pagodas in the outlying districts and towns, then broke in and stole hundreds of years old antiques.
On November 10, Thu Duc District Police, Ho Chi Minh City announced that they are temporarily detaining four suspects: Doan Vuong Anh, Tran Cong Dao (35 years old), Tran Dang Khanh and Nguyen Minh Hieu (both 26 years old, all residing in District 8, Ho Chi Minh City) to investigate the act of "theft of property".
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| Four thieves of antiques in temples and pagodas are being detained by the police. |
According to the initial investigation results, the above subjects invited each other to "make money" by approaching relics such as communal houses, pagodas, etc. in Ho Chi Minh City to steal antiques. The group agreed and rented a car to "do business" to appear "rich".
In the early morning of November 7, a group of people drove around the streets of Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, and approached Xuan Hiep Communal House (a national architectural and artistic relic) in Linh Xuan Ward, Thu Duc District. Here, they assigned people to guard the outside, while the remaining people broke in and cut the lock of the communal house door to take 2 flower vases and 1 bronze incense burner (hundreds of years old, recognized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports as a national cultural relic).
After stealing the above antiques, the gang sold them to a subject named Phan Thanh Phong (living in District 8) for more than 10 million VND and then divided them up to spend.
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| The stolen artifacts were confiscated by the police and returned to religious establishments. |
Through investigation and collection of images from security cameras in the area, Thu Duc District Police quickly arrested the four thieves mentioned above. Expanding the investigation, the Investigation Police Department clarified that in October, this group also committed 3 thefts of antiques at communal houses and pagodas in Districts 1, 8 and Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City.
The police have recovered all the evidence and handed it over to the religious establishments; at the same time, they continue to clarify the actions of the related subjects.
