NEW DELHI: An unidentified thief broke into Shitala Mandir and Shiva Mandir on Maldhakka Road in Itwari on the night of July 27, stealing cash donations worth Rs 7,000, under the jurisdiction of Lakadganj Police.The temple’s CCTV cameras captured the dramatic moments before the theft, showing the culprit folding his hands in a gesture seeking mercy before proceeding to damage the cameras and flee with the loot.According to the complaint filed by temple priest Jitendra Pandey, the temples were closed at around 9 pm on July 27. When Pandey reached the premises at 6.30am on July 28, he found the locks on both temple gates broken.Upon entering, he discovered the donation boxes had been forced open and the CCTV cameras deliberately damaged. The incident came to light at around 6.30 am and was reported to Lakadganj Police Station by 11.50 am.Despite the damage, the available footage has provided crucial leads. Senior Inspector Mukund Kawade of Lakadganj Police Station, who visited the spot with his team between noon and 2 pm on July 28, confirmed that the suspect’s face was clearly captured on CCTV.“We have already identified a few local suspects based on the footage. The act of seeking mercy with folded hands before committing the crime is now ironic, as his identity is out in the open,” Kawade said.The officer added that the suspect appears to be a petty thief known for targeting shrines, which often lack security guards and are easy targets for quick thefts of donation box cash.“Similar thieves have been arrested by Nagpur Police in other cases involving an identical modus operandi. We are laying traps, and the suspect will be rounded up soon,” Kawade assured.The case has been registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police are intensifying efforts to trace the accused, who has not yet been arrested.
