Buddhist Temples Targeted in DFW; FBI Assistance Requested

North Texas police officials are reaching out to the FBI for help in investigating a potential criminal ring targeting Buddhist temples.

White Settlement police are working with local communities and several other states that are reporting similar burglaries inside temples. Members who worship at Buddhist temples across DFW say they are sacred places, full of peace, open to anyone, and where monks are readily available for those in need of prayer.

Police fear a crime ring is exploiting temples by faking interest in prayer and distracting monks to steal money.

“I feel sad — you should come here to pray, to be nice to the people,” said member Sulee Adams.

Adams said it happened at her temple on White Settlement Road on Nov. 20.

White Settlement police shared surveillance video of approximately nine people, one man and eight women, approaching the temple.

Several of the women appeared to be wearing headscarves that hid their faces.

A monk said the group approached him and asked him to pray for their brother who was in the hospital.

“They bow to all the Buddha all over the building like they really respect,” said Adams.

As the monk prayed with some of the group, police say others broke into rooms on the property, stealing a large sum of money.

Adams said $38,000 was stolen. The money had been raised during recent festivities.

Police are trying to determine whether the suspects knew temples would likely have cash on hand because of cultural celebrations where donations are gathered.

“We’re going to work with the FBI, because we now believe this is not just confined to Texas,” said White Settlement Chief of Police Chris Cook.

Cook said he has received calls of similar thefts in New Mexico, California and Arkansas.

The incidents appear to involve the same suspects with similar stories and appear to be ‘diversionary thefts,' he said. Irving police confirmed they are investigating a burglary that happened last Tuesday at a Buddhist temple on Rosebud Drive.

Members of a Buddhist temple on Marvin Brown Street in Fort Worth tell NBC 5 they were hit on Thanksgiving and have turned over surveillance video to police. FWPD did not respond to requests for information.

“We just got off the phone with the Fort Worth Police Department,” said Cook. “The same van that was recovered in our city is the same van in their offense.”

Cook said the suspects were traveling in a silver van that was later ditched in the city. The van had been stolen out of Dallas and had fictitious paper plates out of Colorado on it, he added. The suspects are not believed to be locals, and Cook said his department is working on releasing a bulletin for agencies across the region in hopes of catching the suspects.

Cook is urging other communities with Buddhist temples to be on alert and to not have large amounts of cash on the premises if possible.