A 44-year-old man in Taiwan has been arrested after brazenly stealing a gold medal from a deity statue at a temple in Taipei, pretending to pray before making off with the prized item.
According to Taiwan’s The Liberty Times, the incident took place at Jifu Temple in Beitou District and was caught on surveillance cameras.
The theft happened on Monday (12 Jan), when the man, surnamed Huang, entered the temple wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
After lighting incense sticks and appearing to offer prayers, Huang approached the Earth God statue and spotted a large gold medal hanging around its neck, an offering donated by devotees.
Source: Liberty Times News
CCTV footage showed Huang acting nervously as he grabbed the medal.
He nearly dropped it while removing it from the statue before hastily fleeing the temple.
Temple staff discovered the missing medal shortly after and reported the matter to Beitou Police.
After reviewing the surveillance footage, officers identified Huang, who was known to frequent the area.
He was arrested on Wednesday (14 Jan).
Source: Google Maps
By the time of his arrest, the gold medal had already been sold.
Police also found that Huang had pawned his vehicle, suggesting financial distress.
During questioning, Huang admitted to the theft, saying he had noticed the gold medal during an earlier visit and returned specifically to steal it.
Police believe the crime was motivated by financial difficulties.
Huang has been referred to prosecutors on charges of theft.
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Featured image adapted from Liberty Times News and Google Maps.