Thieves in the temples | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

Thieves have hit Sikh temples across Auckland and leaders are frustrated with how long it's taking to find the culprits. Rowena Orejana investigates.

Ranjit Singh, head priest of a new Sikh temple in New Lynn, remembers everything clearly: the priest, slightly built with a gentle demeanour, lost the faithfuls' donations to two thieves and it weighs heavily with him.

He says a stranger came into the temple and went straight for the golak, the cash donation box, that sits in front of the sacred scriptures. As the box was too heavy for him he called his accomplice and they took the huge box out of the temple.

Mr Singh, who was awoken by the commotion, tried to stop them. "They pushed me and they shouted, 'Give me my money.' This is my money," he says, still outraged by the theft.

The thieves took off in a car parked outside the temple. The driver was a woman.

A CCTV video of the entire burglary has been given to police by the  leaders of the Sikh temple, Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib. Almost two months on  they are still waiting  for information on their case.

Surjit Singh, temple chairman, says he brought the matter up again with a police sergeant at a Waitakere Ethnic Board meeting three weeks ago.

Ethnic Board chairman Amail Habib says safety is a worry as a crime like this could escalate into violence. "Our concern is to raise the level of issues and bring them to the attention of the authorities, in this case, the police," he says.

He said Mr Hunter promised to come back to him but never did so.

"We were just told that if it happens, temple members shouldn't obstruct them. They should just allow the robbers to do what they want," says the frustrated chairman.

The elder Mr Singh is also nonplussed that a DVD copy of footage from the security camera clearly shows the faces of the culprits, yet the crime remains unsolved.

Police spokesman Kevin Loughlin says the crime was committed on June 24, but the footage was given to police on July 29. "Just because a video has been made available or is accessible does not automatically mean the offenders will be immediately caught. Often, such inquiries can take weeks, not days."

Police are examining the footage and  investigating.

"The nature of the inquiry is extensive," says Mr Loughlin, 'but I'm confident that the police inquiry will result in something positive for our Sikh community."

Manpreet Singh, president of the Sikh Society Auckland, says several other temples in Auckland have been robbed in a similar fashion but the situation is not alarming.

"It's like what happens in a normal household. Usually, when a new temple comes in, people take the opportunity to grab things. It stops when they know that the management has put in security measures. Also, the golak is cleared regularly so that it would be almost empty - maybe just $5, $10."

Paying tribute

It is a time-honoured Indian custom to carry an offering when going to worship. In gurudwaras (Sikh temples) a receptacle called a golak is usually kept in front of the sanctum. Devotees drop their offerings into this. Sikhs are asked to give a tenth of their earnings.