The safe in the house of the General Secretary of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and the chairman of Buga Company of the KIO's business department, Dr. Lahkyen La Ja in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State in northern Burma was burgled on August 7.

According to residents of Shatapru quarter, the burglar came in the afternoon to Dr. La Ja's house, near the Irrawaddy River bank in Thida Aye quarter in Shatapru. A lot of money and jewellery were cleaned out from the safe.

The thief took away Burmese Kyat 60 million equal to US $ 50,633, Chinese Yuan of an undetermined amount, gold, jade and diamonds from the safe, a resident added.

On learning of the burglary, the new northern commander Maj-Gen Soe Win threatened the police officer of the No. (1) Police Station that he would be suspend if he was unable to arrest the thief, a resident close to the police said.

On the orders of Commander Soe Win, Shatapru quarter's residents were checked by the police after 8 p.m. The youths of Shatapru's were checked thoroughly, he added.

No. (1) Police station sources said, they could arrest the thief in Mandalay when he sells the diamonds. The thief is believed to be a Kachin ethnic and former driver of Dr. La Ja.

Meanwhile, there have been many thefts in town and the thieves are now mainly stealing from leaders of the KIO and the churches as they are well heeled, said a resident in Myitkyina.