CHONBURI — An 87-year-old monk tried to raise the alarm after a thief broke into a donation box at a temple in Chonburi province early on Tuesday, but the suspect escaped with the cash, police said.
Police at Mueang Chonburi station were notified at 04:30 on 20 January 2026 of a break-in at Wat Nok in Mueang district. Officers who arrived at the scene found Phra Baidika Thawi Phromchoto, 87, along with villagers and monks, standing near a pavilion where a large steel donation box had been forced open. The box was damaged and all the money inside had been stolen.
Phra Thawi said the steel donation box had been completed and put into use just one day earlier. The box is used to collect donations from worshippers and for expenses related to temple activities and ceremonies.
He said the suspect used a metal tool to pry open the box and take all the cash inside. The elderly monk shouted for help and tried to make his way to nearby residents to ask them to help catch the thief, but the suspect fled before anyone could intervene.
He appealed to the perpetrator to stop targeting temples, saying donation money was given with sincere intent and stealing it was sinful.
Police said they would review CCTV footage from inside the temple and along nearby routes to identify and track down the suspect for legal action.
