VIDEO: Thieves pretending to be tourists steal $15K in gold from metro temple

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Brazen thieves were caught on camera stealing gold from a place of worship.

The theft happened Thursday at Sri Maha Lakshmi Temple of Atlanta in Cumming around 5 p.m.

A priest at the temple in Forsyth County showed Channel 2's Justin Wilfon the surveillance video of the thieves stealing several gold necklaces off statue after statue.

“I’m totally shocked,” Keshava Murthy said. “We lost nearly $15,000 in gold jewelry.”

He told Wilfon the large group included two men, two women, a teenager and a small child.

Murthy, who was not there at the time, said the two men distracted the priests who were there.

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The video shows the men chatting up the priests, while the women went to work, stealing the necklaces off the statues.

“They took all the gold chains, along with the pendant,” Murthy said.

Murthy said at least one of the men had been there before. Murthy believes another video shows the man visiting the temple and taking pictures on an apparent reconnaissance mission five days earlier.

Now, Murthy hopes police can find the group before they steal again.

“Hopefully, God’s grace,” Murthy said.

The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office is working the case. If you recognize any of the people in the video, you are encouraged to give the Sheriff’s Office a call.

Cox Media Group