GEORGE TOWN: A Sleeping Buddha statue was stolen from the Penang Buddhist Association at Jalan Anson here early last week.
However, the disappearance of the statue was only realised almost 10 days later.
Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Anuar Omar said that checks from the building's closed circuit television footage showed that a couple had stolen the statue on Dec 11 at about 8am.
The footage also showed the suspects carting away the statue's foot, made of white marble, placing it inside a bag before carrying it off into the car.
The secretary of the association only realised that the missing statue on Wednesday and immediately lodged a police report.
The 91 years old Buddha statue, valued at RM10,000, was placed at the common hall on a table for prayers.
"We have checked with the association members and none of them could identify the suspects. The forensic unit could not retrieve any fingerprints from the scene either," he said in a press statement today.
The case is being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft.