'Large quantity of cash' stolen from Vietnamese Buddhist temple: Windsor police

Suspects sought after break-in at Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Windsor, Ont. (Source; Windsor police)

Windsor police are asking for the public’s help identifying suspects in a break-and-enter at a downtown place of worship.

Members of the Target Base Unit launched an investigation following a break-and-enter at a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in the 700 block of Goyeau Street on Sept. 10.

During ceremony hours, police say three males broke into the temple’s residential apartment and removed a safe containing a “large quantity of cash.”

Officers say they left the scene in a vehicle driven by another male.

The first suspect (vehicle driver) is described as an East Indian or Arabic male, 30-40 years old, approximately 6’0”, with a large build, and a black and grey beard. At the time of the incident, he wore a black surgical facemask, plain black baseball hat, black t-shirt with ‘HUGO’ on the front, black pants, and black and white running shoes.

The second suspect is described as an East Indian or Arabic male, 30-40 years old, approximately 6'0”, with a medium build, and a black mustache and black strapped beard along the jaw. At the time of the incident, he wore a yellow hat with a purple front emblem, white undershirt, grey windbreaker jacket with a black stripe along the chest and arms, light grey shorts, and black and white running shoes.

The third suspect is described as an East Indian or Arabic male, 30-40 years old, approximately 5’8”, with a small build, dark complexion, and black beard. At the time of the incident, he wore a plain black hat, black leather coat, black undershirt with a white character on the front, blue jeans, and black running shoes.

The fourth suspect is described as an East Indian or Arabic male, 30-40 years old, approximately 6’0”, with a large build and black beard. At the time of the incident, he wore a red, white, and black hat, dark blue jacket, black pants with a white emblem on the upper left thigh, and grey and white running shoes.

The vehicle is described as a later model Infiniti FX35 with silver rims, sunroof, and a roof rack.Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Windsor, Ont., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Travis Fortnum/CTV News Windsor)

Anyone with information is asked to call the Windsor Police Service Target Base Unit at 519-255-6700, ext. 4350. They can also contact Windsor & Essex County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 519-258-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.catchcrooks.com.