Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (UM)
Udupi, Mar 11: Thieves broke into Shree Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir at Thotadamane, Kodavoor and decamped with valuables and cash approximately worth Rs 8 lac. The theft came to light on Friday March 11.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the thieves gained entry into the temple by breaking the lock on the front door.
Interestingly, after breaking the lock, the thieves came out from another door, attached a new lock on the front door and went back in through the other door, in a bid to hide the break-in and also to thwart anyone who may come to the temple while they were committing the theft.
The thieves looted a silver footwear, silver umbrella, silver throne and ornaments. They also took away two large cash boxes to the back of the temple and stole the cash after breaking them open.
Altogether, cash worth over Rs 1 lac and silver items and ornaments worth Rs 7 lac have been stolen.
The temple has no CCTVs, which has made police job tougher.
Sniffer dogs which were pressed into action were able to detect the scent up till Moodabettu.
It is suspected that four or five persons might have been involved in the crime.
Incidentally, temple committee's Diwakar Shetty and others stay close by, but they said they did not hear anything suspicious.
About two years ago, theft had occured at the same temple, which later was said to be an insider's job.
Udupi circle inspector Srikanth Nayak, Malpe SI Ravikumar and other police personnel arrived at the spot and investigated.
Malpe police have registered a case and investigations are on.