Two held over Tuschen mandir break in

Two suspects in the Tuschen mandir break-in were caught yesterday and have confessed to the crime after they were caught with some of the stolen goods.

Thieves broke into the Tuschen New Scheme Mandir some time between Thursday and Friday morning, carting off and destroying articles valued $500,000. A member of the mandir told Stabroek News that two persons were arrested yesterday morning and they are in custody at the Leonora Police station. They are likely to be charged and appear in court tomorrow. They are both teenagers.

Stabroek News was told that one was caught at about 8.30 am yesterday at the mandir as he was stealing honey. He took members of the Community Policing Group to a home in Leonora where another youth was apprehended. A number of the stolen articles were found in the house including a mattress. Stabroek News was told too that the youths also admitted to another break-in at a Tuschen home that occurred recently. About $26,000 was stolen in that incident and some of the money was found on the teens.

“These young men are regular thieves,” the resident told this newspaper. Both of them are about 15 years old and one is from Tuschen while the other is from Leonora.

Meanwhile, the resident said they are happy with the work of the Community Policing Group but are not too happy with the attitude of the Neighbourhood Police. He said that the CPG is using members’ resources and though it has not received any support from the authorities, and has been doing a good job while the Neighbourhood Police receive support but many times “go to the station, sign their names and go back home” and go about their normal business. The resident said the authorities need to support the CPG.

The Tuschen mandir was built about four years ago and had never been broken into before. On Friday, Rohan Ramroop, who has been attending the mandir for the past three years, said the interior of the building was littered with faeces and liquids which were smeared around the floor. He added that the eastern side of the concrete kitchen wall was broken and the utensils and groceries which were purchased for the religious activity were eaten while some were stolen.