Narcis Chiciu, 36, has been identified as a suspect in the organized criminal activity of diversionary theft at Buddhist temples. A warrant has been issued for his arrest, and authorities are seeking information on his whereabouts. The thefts, which occurred in Texas and other states, targeted temples and resulted in significant cash losses. Law enforcement agencies are collaborating to apprehend Chiciu and dismantle the criminal organization. Tiffany Liou reported
Narcis Chiciu, a 36-year-old man, has been identified as one of the suspects involved in the organized criminal activity of diversionary theft at Buddhist temples. The Theravada Buddhist Temple in White Settlement, known as Wat Busayadhammvanaram, became a target of this criminal activity almost a year ago. The police have issued a second-degree felony warrant for engaging in organized criminal activity against Chiciu and are seeking information on his whereabouts. This felony charge carries a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years.
On November 20, 2022, a large group of individuals arrived at the temple in a stolen minivan. While some of the suspects distracted the monk and volunteers, preventing the monk from leaving the prayer room, others broke into the living quarters and stole $38,000 in cash from locked cabinets. Although the monk sensed that something was amiss, he admitted feeling scared and unsure of what to do.
White Settlement Police Chief Christopher Cook expressed his concern over the criminals taking advantage of the temple’s generosity and faith. He emphasized that this incident was not isolated, as other temples in Fort Worth, Irving, and across the country were targeted around the same time.
After nearly a year of investigation, the police have made significant progress in the case. Collaboration between the White Settlement Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Dallas Police Department, the Arlington Police Department, and the Westworth Village Police Department played a crucial role. The breakthrough came with the deployment of new facial recognition software by the Westworth Village Police Department, which enabled them to match the suspect’s face from the surveillance video obtained from the temple.
Chiciu, the lead suspect, has been involved in various civil cases and has faced charges in Florida as well. It is believed that he is one of the ringleaders of a local North Texas crime ring involved in diversionary theft across multiple states. The police suspect that several similar groups across the country are connected to these crimes.
While $38,000 was stolen from the temple in White Settlement, other temples experienced even larger losses, with amounts ranging from $75,000 to $100,000. In response to the incident, the White Settlement Police Department has increased patrols around the temple and worked with them to enhance safety measures.
Chief Cook expressed his determination to bring the entire criminal organization to justice, stating that they will not stop until they are in jail. He believes that by arresting Chiciu, the police will be able to uncover the identities of the other individuals involved.
The authorities are urging anyone with information about Chiciu’s whereabouts to contact Tarrant County Crime Stoppers or send an email to the investigator assigned to the case. The police hope that public cooperation will lead to Chiciu’s arrest and the dismantling of the criminal organization responsible for these temple thefts..