Milpitas Hindu Temple Targeted as South Bay Faces Wave of Donation Box Thefts

A pre-dawn burglary at the Shirdi Sai Parivaar Temple in Milpitas left the local Hindu community shaken when intruders made off with the sacred hundi and jewelry in September 2025. The theft is part of a widening pattern of break-ins targeting Hindu temples across the South Bay, one that has drawn the attention of prosecutors and community advocates alike.

Shirdi Sai Parivaar Temple Burglary Leaves Milpitas Devotees Heartbroken

The Shirdi Sai Parivaar Temple in Milpitas became the latest South Asian house of worship to be targeted by thieves when intruders broke in during the early morning hours of Thursday, September 25, 2025. According to temple officials who spoke with Diya TV, the burglary occurred between 5:30 and 5:40 a.m. The perpetrators gained entry by forcing open a side lobby door before advancing into the main hall of worship.

Once inside, the intruders made directly for the center donation hundi, the sacred vessel used to collect offerings from devotees. The hundi was not merely opened and emptied — it was physically wrenched from its position and carried out of the premises entirely. A temple spokesperson told Diya TV: "We don't know how much cash is lost. Our hundi is gone, completely taken away. It's very sentimental for all of us. More than money, we are heartbroken that someone entered the temple and stepped onto the podium."

The thieves also removed jewelry from the Chavdi — sacred articles placed in devotional offering by congregants over many seasons of prayer. The loss was not simply financial but a desecration of consecrated space.

CCTV cameras captured the suspects in action. Temple officials shared the footage with Milpitas police, who opened a formal investigation. The incident is one in a growing series targeting Hindu and South Asian places of worship across California. Community leaders have called for stronger security measures and federal recognition of what they describe as an escalating pattern of crime against Hindu institutions. For the Shirdi Sai Parivaar congregation, an outpouring of community solidarity has followed the theft.

Sources: Diya TV