Two sacred bells have been stolen from a well-known temple in Hua Hin, prompting the abbot to issue a warning to other temples amid concerns of a rising trend in bell thefts.
The theft occurred at Wat Huai Sam Phan Nam, located in Hin Lek Fai . The temple’s abbot, Phra Bidika Saran Khosito, also known as Phra Ajahn Boy, discovered the bells were missing on the morning of September 17. According to Phra Ajahn Boy, the bells were part of a set of 12 representing the zodiac animals and had been installed near the ordination hall in 2019.
The stolen bells, representing the Year of the Rat and the Year of the Ox, were made of brass and weighed approximately 20 to 25 kilograms each. They had been used in merit-making rituals, where worshippers would strike the bells as part of their devotions. The bells were valued at around 7,500 baht each and bore the names of donors who had contributed to their creation.
Phra Ajahn Boy told reporters that the temple had never experienced thefts of this kind before. “The bells had been hanging securely for years,” he said. “We never expected someone would steal them.” He suspects that one or two individuals used a motorcycle or motorised tricycle to carry out the theft, adding that if a larger vehicle like a pickup truck had been used, the thieves might have taken all the bells.
The abbot used the incident to issue a warning to other temples in Hua Hin, advising them to be vigilant. He explained that while thieves had previously targeted smaller brass items like urns and vases, temple bells now appear to be the new focus for criminals. Several other temples in the region have reported similar thefts. Wat Khao Yai Arun Bunyarat, approximately 20 kilometres from Wat Huai Sam Phan Nam, recently had five bells stolen, and Wat Khao Takiab also reported the loss of five bells.
Phra Ajahn Boy expressed his disappointment over the theft, noting that the bells were created using donations from temple followers. He believes the thieves will likely dismantle the bells and sell the brass for scrap, as the engravings of the donors’ names would make selling the intact bells difficult.
In response to the incident, the abbot said the temple is taking measures to prevent further thefts, including welding the bell hooks shut and installing additional security cameras. He also highlighted the broader issue of temple thefts, noting that donation boxes are often targeted by thieves, although the temple’s main donation box was safely stored in a pavilion at the time of the bell theft.