Tarneit Gurudwara Sahib, a Sikh temple in Melbourne’s west was burgled twice this year.
The first time it was burgled in February this year, a donation box was stolen placed outside the temple.
The Gurudwara management had provided the CCTV footage to the local police which showed an unknown man with a dark complexion, black hair and standing approximately 175 cm tall, walking away with the donation box.
During the second attempt, two masked men broke into the temple and stole the cash from the temple’s donation boxes in May.
“It was all over in five minutes. This time, they were two men. They came prepared with tools and broke into the Gurudwara Sahib,” Mr Gurdeep Singh Girn had earlier told SBS Hindi.
“The duo headed straight to the donation box stole the money and walked away.”
Victoria Police have now caught two men responsible for these alleged robberies.
It is believed the offender returned later that day and replaced the empty donation box about 2pm. Source: Victoria Police
A 28-year-old man and an 18-year-old man have been charged for the alleged burglary.
‘Two men have been charged following a series of alleged burglaries at places of worship across Melbourne,’ Victoria Police said in a statement.
The Gurudwara committee told SBS Hindi that the men arrested as part of Operation Flagrancy were also responsible for the alleged thefts at the Gurudwara.
It is alleged the two men are responsible for the burglaries occurred between March and July in suburbs including Springvale South, Springvale, Keysborough, Carrum Downs, Yuroke, Forest Hill, Burwood, Rockbank, Camberwell, Boronia, Mount Evelyn, Berwick, Myers Flat, Tarneit and Mitcham.
‘Cash and electrical appliances were stolen during the burglaries,’ the police said.
A 28-year-old Deer Park man has been charged with 54 charges, which include two counts of aggravated burglary, 23 counts of burglary and 22 counts of theft.
Two masked men stole cash from the donation box inside the Tarneit Gurudwara on Monday morning. Source: Supplied
An 18-year-old Sunshine man has been charged with six charges, which includes aggravated burglary, theft and bail offences.
