Fake Monk Suspected of Burglarizing Naypyitaw Homes Arrested in Bago

By Kaung Myat Min 11 December 2018

BAGO REGION, Prome — Police have arrested a man who allegedly posed as a Buddhist monk to scope out the homes of people he would burglarize in Naypyitaw.

On Saturday the suspect allegedly went a step further and robbed Central Bank of Myanmar Director Daw Lei Lei Nu of more than 300,000 kyats ($193) in her apartment in Khaye Housing in Naypyitaw’s Zabuthiri Township.

Major Than Tun Aung, head of Bago Region’s Prome Township police force, said he was arrested Monday in Prome’s Wat Hti Kan Village.

“He doesn’t have a religious ID card. His name is Maung Maung and he is a native of Wat Hti Kan,” he told The Irrawaddy.

Sub-Lieutenant Than Min Soe of the Wat Hti Kan police station said local police made the arrest on instructions from Naypyitaw police.

Maung Maung allegedly scoped out his targets by visiting the homes of Buddhist devotees while dressed as a monk.

Responding to a complaint from the bank director. Naypyitaw police visited multiple monasteries and identified the suspect as Maung Maung, who had been squatting near some government staff quarters in Bawgatheikdi Ward.

Police say they learned that he had been burglarizing homes in Naypyitaw for some time and that he had already returned to Prome, where local police were asked to make the arrest.

Zabuthiri Township police have opened a case against Maung Maung under Article 386 of the Penal Code for extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in jail.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.