HOUSTON – On Thursday, The Houston Police Department, State Representative Gene Wu and community advocates will host a town hall to discuss the recent break ins at temples in the Houston area.
“We feel so relieved that this is being brought out to the public and that Rep. Gene Wu and the police department are bringing some eyeballs too, because we don’t want this to keep happening,” one person said.
The meeting will take place at the Burnet Bayland Community Center in Southwest Houston, starting at 7 p.m. The meeting is an opportunity for the community to meet with police about the investigations and ask questions.
So far this year, Houston says there have been four burglars, one attempted burglary and one robbery. The incidents are happening around the Chinese New Year, and it’s frightening for many people.
“We were nervous to bring this out to the public, because we are scared,” the person said.
KPRC2′s Re’Chelle Turner spoke to a person who did not want to be identified. The person spoke to Turner about a break in that happened on February 21st.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Houston Buddhist temple desecrated by 4 thieves who make off with almost nothing
“In the middle of the afternoon [on Wednesday], two men came into the Texas Guandi Temple and started looking around. I think they were staking out the place first. They got on a phone call and said everything is clear pretty much is what we assumed,” the person said.
Little did the thieves know, they were caught on camera.
“Two other gentlemen came in and joined them. [They] started kicking down all the doors, every single door they kicked down. They started rummaging through all the drawers, and I think they were just trying to find cash,” the person said.
The person said the temple doesn’t keep cash on the premises. During the alleged robbery, a volunteer went to a nearby property and called 911, but the thieves were gone before the police arrived.
“Luckily, they didn’t take any our valuables… The Buddhist monk who was there wasn’t hurt, that was the most important obviously. All of the relics that were there [were not taken], so that was a blessing as well,” the person said.
Turner asked the person if they had a message for the thieves?
“We are going to get you,” the person said.
The person says these break ins should not stop people from visiting all temples, because they are safe.