Canada: Man held for multiple break-ins at Hindu temples

A 41-year-old Indo-Canadian man has been arrested for multiple break-ins and thefts at Hindu temples in Canada's Durham Region and Greater Toronto Area, police said.

However, the offences do not appear to be hate crimes or motivated by hate, Durham Regional Police said in a press release on Thursday.

The police identified the man as Jagdish Pandher from Brampton city.

According to the press release, in the early hours of October 8, police responded to a break-and-enter at a Hindu temple in the area of Bayly Street and Krosno Boulevard in Pickering.

Pandher was seen on security surveillance breaking into the temple and taking a large quantity of cash from the donation boxes. He fled the area before police arrival, it said.

He was 'seen on surveillance footage later that morning committing additional break-and-enters at Hindu temples in Pickering and Ajax', the release said.

Police say the suspect has been linked to numerous other break-and-enters at Hindu temples throughout the year.

"These break-and-enters occurred in Durham Region and around the Greater Toronto Area," they said.

Pandher has been charged with four counts of break-and-enter among other charges, the release said.