Theft of Buddha statue from Scottish temple is being treated as a hate crime

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses following the theft of a religious object in the west of the city. The incident happened sometime between 8pm on Friday and 3.45pm on Saturday at the Dhammapadia Temple in Slateford Road. A statue of Buddha was stolen from the garden area of the building, and inquiries are ongoing to trace those responsible. The theft is being treated as a hate crime and anyone with information is asked to come forward. The statue is approximately one meter tall and is made of a lightweight material, similar to fiberglass.

Constable Simon Wotton from Oxgangs Police Station said: “Local members of the Buddhist community who use the temple are extremely disappointed by this theft and we are currently progressing a number of lines of inquiry to identify the suspects and return the statue. Anyone who remembers seeing anything suspicious around the Dhammapadia Temple between Friday evening and Saturday afternoon should contact police immediately. We would also urge anyone who knows where we can find the stolen statue to get in touch.”
The Dhammapadia Temple's resident Buddhist's Monk, Wisanupong Thipra, said: "Our community is deeply saddened by the mindless actions of a small few who have removed and stolen our Buddha statue from its home in our front garden. Our statue is our symbol of peace and mindfulness which we give respect to every day with prayers and meditation. We thank Police Scotland and our neighbors for the support we have received in response to this criminal act." Anyone with information that can assist officers with their inquiries should contact the police.