A local woman was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of stealing nine “Earth God”* statuettes from four local temples, including three that were found in her home, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chong Kam Leong said during a regular press conference yesterday.
In total, another 50 statuettes of divinities were also found at her flat, Chong said.
The suspect was identified as a 38-year-old local woman surnamed Lau who claimed to be jobless.
According to Chong, the Judiciary Police received reports from four temples in Coloane and Taipa between Tuesday and Thursday that nine “Earth God” statuettes were suspected to have been stolen, with the estimated losses ranging from several hundred to 3,000 patacas.
PJ officers identified the suspect and discovered that Lau had driven near the temples on the night of the incidents before proceeding on foot to steal the figurines.
Chong said that Lau was arrested on Thursday in the Barra district, adding that she refused to cooperate. A subsequent search of her car and home led to the recovery of three “Earth God” statuettes matching the descriptions provided by the four temples. Furthermore, additional 50 or so statuettes of deities were found at her flat.
Chong added that the origins of the approxiamely 50 statuettes had not been confirmed at the time of the press conference, but the police suspect that the 50 statuettes were all stolen by the suspect. All the figurines suspected to have been stolen have been seized as evidence, and the case remains under further investigation, Chong said.
Chong urged temple administrators or members of the public discovering that their “Earth God” statuettes have gone missing to report their suspicions to the police as soon as possible.
Lau has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing a theft charge.
* Earth God aka Tudigong (土地公), literally translated as “Lord of the Land” or “Earth God,” is a tutelary deity in Chinese folk religion, as well as Taoism and Buddhism. Tudigong is the “divine magistrate” of a specific local area village, neighbourhood, field, or even a single household. - DeepSeek
This undated handout photo provided by the Judiciary Police (PJ) shows three “Earth God” statuettes stolen from local temples, with their faces covered as a sign of respect for the divinities, found in the suspected thief’s home.
