Jan. 12, 2023 By Bill Parry
Police from the 110th Precinct in Elmhurst are searching for two men who broke into a house of worship and made off with a donation box during the early morning of Saturday, Jan. 7.
The suspects jumped over a fence and entered the grounds of the Wat Buddha Thai Thavornvanaram Temple located at 76-16 46th Ave. just before 1 a.m. on Jan. 7. Once inside they used a bolt cutter to remove the donation box, police said.
The perpetrators were caught on video surveillance making their escape through a small parking lot at the temple with one of them carrying the donation box that contained an undetermined amount of cash, according to investigators.
The NYPD released the video and surveillance photos of the two suspects on Jan. 11 and described them as having light complexions.
One suspect was wearing a black hooded jacket, blue jeans and black sneakers, while the other suspect toting the bolt cutter was wearing a black hooded jacket, ripped blue jeans, and gray sneakers.
A reward of up to $3,500 is being offered for tips that could lead to their arrest.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.