Police in southern Tien Giang Province have detained a couple who have carried out numerous thefts in pagodas and churches, including more than 200 cases in Ho Chi Minh City.

Ly Ta Giang, 25, and his 18-year-old wife, Le Thi My Anh, were arrested yesterday, November 16, after they committed a theft in Buu Lam Pagoda in My Tho City, Tien Giang Province. 

The couple ran away when visitors to the pagoda caught them taking money from a large box that contained cash donations by visitors to the pagoda.

With the aid of locals, the city police seized both Giang and Anh later. They told police that they had forced the box open with some tools.  

They confessed that they had carried out numerous thefts for the past several years. They had operated not only in many southern provinces such as Tien Giang, Binh Duong, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Can Tho, An Giang and Soc Trang, but also in HCMC, where they had committed over 200 thefts.

They said they could pocket VND500,000-1.5 million (US$72) in each theft.