The Buddhist religion is one that promotes peace and good karma.

So why would anyone who extols the preaching of Buddha risk their own karma by stealing one?

This large white religious icon was taken from the St Martin's Road garden of Angela Baxter some time after midnight on Sunday, May 12.

The widow said she bought it with a bit of cash remaining after her husband died 18 months ago, and seeing it every day really meant something to her.

Measuring about 3.2ft tall, the thief or thieves would have needed to climb over a small wall to get into her corner plot garden which also faces busy Mongeham Road.

She says they would then have to climb back over the wall again, with the statue in tow, which is quite heavy.

She said: "It was there when I closed the curtains when I went to bed and when I woke up it was gone.

"I would never have thought someone would take it because Mongeham Road is so busy - even at night.

"They would have needed an estate car to put it in because it is quite big - it's the size of a standard dining chair."

Many people have Buddhas in their gardens or around their homes. But how many of them know what his image symbolises?

Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was the founder of Buddhism. He is also venerated as a manifestation of God in Hinduism and the Bahá'í faith.

Some Hindu texts regard Buddha as an avatar of the God Vishnu, who came to Earth to delude beings away from the Vedic religion.

He is also regarded as a prophet by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

A Kent Police spokeswoman said: "Police received a report of theft from a property in Deal where a statue was taken from the garden of a house in St Martin’s Road between Sunday 12 May and Monday 13 May 2019.

Anyone who witnessed anything suspicious or has information should call 01843 222289 quoting reference 13-0944.

If you can help reunite Mrs Baxter with her Buddha call the Mercury office on 01304 365526.

Thieves can improve their karma and reincarnation prospects by returning it to the garden it was taken from: 72 St Martin's Road, Great Mongeham, Deal.