75-year-old man from Chennai held for stealing cash from Church in Goa

A 75-year-old man from Chennai was arrested for allegedly stealing Rs 50,000 cash from a donation box at a church in Old Goa Heritage Monument complex near here, police said on Thursday.

John Louids was apprehended yesterday by the Old Goa Police after 'Basilica of Bom Jesus Church' authorities found him stealing the cash from a donation box, a police official said.

The Basilica is a home for relics of St Francis Xavier, whose body is kept for exposition once in ten years.

Fr Savio Barretto, the parish priest at the church, lodged a complaint yesterday.

As per the complaint, the accused was caught on CCTV while stealing the cash and after that the church authorities informed the police.

A case under relevant sections of IPC has been registered in this regard and investigations are underway, the officer added.