Police Arrest Three Men For Stealing Buddha Statues From Temple
Police arrested three men in Pathum Thani on September 21 for stealing four Buddha statues from Khian Khet Royal Temple, recovering all pieces within days. The prime suspect confessed to the theft, citing gambling debts and plans to sell th
Pathum Thani — Thanyaburi Police arrested three men on September 21, 2025, at 5 a.m. for allegedly stealing four Buddha statues from Khian Khet Royal Temple. The suspects are Doon, 47; O, 45; and Tam, 43. Police recovered all four statues, a Bangkok-registered vehicle, and other evidence. The men were arrested at a house on Annex Soi, Sai Mai District.
The theft was reported on September 18, 2025, when temple authorities discovered the four Buddha statues—Luang Pho Ban Hlam, Luang Pho Phra Pairipinart, Luang Pho To Wat Panuanchern, and Luang Pho Phra Phuttha Chinnarat—had gone missing from the temple grounds. After reviewing surveillance footage and conducting a two-day investigation, police tracked the suspects' vehicle and located them.
During interrogation, suspect O admitted to the theft, saying he had no specific orders and acted out of financial desperation related to gambling debts. O, who grew up as a temple ward, said he planned to sell each statue for 4,000 baht to second-hand market buyers, not to collectors. He stated this was his first such crime and that he works selling used goods. O has a criminal history with 14 previous cases involving theft, assault, firearms, and drugs. The other two suspects remain under investigation.
