Photo: Screenshot from The Paper

In a shocking turn of recent events, a man and his accomplice used the guise of praying and seeking blessings to sneak into a temple in Shanghai, and stole a massive 80kg jade stone. Later caught by the police, the thief said that he felt a spiritual connection to Buddha, trying to justify his actions.

According to media coverage by The Paper on Tuesday, the theft was reported to a branch of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau on April 7, after the temple staff discovered the valuable jade stone missing from the temple hall where it was displayed.

Police immediately launched an investigation after reviewing surveillance footage showing two men entering the temple with a cart and leaving with a covered object that matched the description of the stolen jade stone.

"We believe that the object they took was indeed the stolen stone based on our observations," said police officer Feng Shengxian. Following leads, the police officers were able to apprehend one suspect surnamed Zhang, on April 8, who had the stolen jade stone to his possession. 

Zhang claimed that he had taken the precious stone home to clean it, as he felt a predestinated connection to the Buddha statue in the temple.

However, further investigation revealed that Zhang had scoped out the temple under the pretense of praying before committing the theft. 

Another suspect surnamed Dai who had been on the run, was captured on April 29. Both suspects are facing criminal charges of theft, and they were put in police custody awaiting further legal proceedings.

The brazen theft of the 80kg jade stone has shocked the local community and raised concerns about the security of religious artifacts in temples. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding cultural and religious treasures from theft and vandalism, Chinese netizens commented on social media platforms.

Global Times