Burglary Attempt Foiled At East London Gurdwara

[dalsingh101]

Early this morning an attempted burglary at Gurdwara Dasmesh Darbar, Eastham (East London) was foiled when the perpetrators were disturbed by the sangat.

They seemed to have been in the act of trying to force open the door of a property that led to the main Gurdwara complex. After being seen, they quickly left the scene. This incident took place around 4.15 this morning.

The suspects are described as black and a police report has been filed.

Perhaps this is a good time to review security measures across our Gurdwaras? We have lessons to learn from the recent Bow Gurdwara incident, where the complex was burnt to ground.

[Northern]

Many Gurudwaras are easy targets, not just for money but aware of incidents where food has been raided unfortunately. Important to have internal CCTV in key areas (e.g. kitchen, hallways) as well as external.  Also, for sevadars to assist in overnight security.

[chatanga1]

Should have learnt from 10 years ago when an elderly Sikh sewadar was bludgeoned to death by burglars in a Wolverhampton Gurdwara.

[dalsingh101]

The OP is old! Like 5 odd years old. 

[Ragmaala]

On 2016-02-19 at 4:28 PM, dalsingh101 said:

The OP is old! Like 5 odd years old. 

we love digging graves lol

[samurai]

Yeh that's old news man. i think CCTVs are all well and good but i feel its more important to have pehradaars at gurdwaras. There was an incident in karamsar gurdwara in ilford (east london) where men have come in to steal sangats shoes/trainers.. this has happened on a couple of occasions even though they have cctv. I'm from east london and have heard of many stories where amritdhari singhs have been robbed and their kirpan taken away from them. Its so embarrassing, singhs and singhnia need to not loose their martial mentality. Bhagti comes first but you have to physically train and learn an art...saint/soldier.....

 

[dalsingh101]

On 2/20/2016 at 11:16 PM, samurai said:

Yeh that's old news man. i think CCTVs are all well and good but i feel its more important to have pehradaars at gurdwaras. There was an incident in karamsar gurdwara in ilford (east london) where men have come in to steal sangats shoes/trainers.. this has happened on a couple of occasions even though they have cctv. I'm from east london and have heard of many stories where amritdhari singhs have been robbed and their kirpan taken away from them. Its so embarrassing, singhs and singhnia need to not loose their martial mentality. Bhagti comes first but you have to physically train and learn an art...saint/soldier.....

 

That Karamsar Gurwara has brought this upon itself in my opinion.

A few years ago people close to the committee were discussing what kind of things they should implement for the youth and someone suggested having a gym there. The big ones there pooh-poohed that plan straight away, saying it wasn't appropriate to have such a thing at a gurdwara and they wanted to focus on spirituality and arts stuff (which they do - fair play to them). They also cited the fact that there is a gym next door, but that isn't an excuse in my books. Giving Sikhs their own space for these things is important.

The irony is, if you go the 15 odd minutes walk up the road to Goodmayes Singh Sabha Gurdwara they do have a bustling gym (which includes boxing stuff), with lots of guys (and girls) use, including a smattering of nonSikhs.  

I have to say it outright, Karamsar are pupoofying the youth. Given that, it isn't a shock that people feel no fear to come and steal there or that Amritdhari youth get ridiculed in the way you mention. They seem very pacifist, which is inexcusable.  

It's that old chestnut again, where any martial heritage we have is reduced to pathetic symbolism, with no teeth. And outsiders know this and so target the weak.