Valuable Buddha Statue Stolen from Sri Lankan Museum

A highly ancient Buddha statue made of copper and weighing approximately 40 kilograms has been stolen from the museum located within the historic Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya in Sri Lanka. The statue was discovered during the excavation carried out for the reconstruction of the temple's stupa. Thieves broke into the museum by climbing onto the roof from an adjacent tree and breaking open a door on the upper floor, before taking the statue from the ground floor. The museum's CCTV cameras, which had been inactive for several months, did capture two individuals on a scooter traveling around 1 AM.

Key Takeaways:

• The stolen Buddha statue is made of copper and weighs approximately 40 kilograms.
• The statue was discovered during the excavation carried out for the reconstruction of the temple's stupa.
• Thieves broke into the museum by climbing onto the roof from an adjacent tree and breaking open a door on the upper floor.
• The museum's CCTV cameras had been inactive for several months before being used to capture the incident.
• The Chief Incumbent suspects that drug addicts are involved in the theft, citing the presence of drug traffickers in the surrounding villages.
• The temple does not receive adequate security from the Police Post and Army Camp present on the premises.
• The Chief Incumbent has requested the intervention of responsible authorities to ensure the security of the Viharaya.

Statistics:

• The stolen Buddha statue weighs approximately 40 kilograms.
• The museum's CCTV cameras had been inactive for several months before being used to capture the incident.
• Two individuals were caught on camera traveling on a scooter around 1 AM.
• The theft occurred on the night of Tuesday (22nd).
• The temple does not receive adequate security from the Police Post and Army Camp present on the premises.

Sources:

• Hiru News, Oct. 25