Police in Kampong Cham’s Cheung Prey district said yesterday they are investigating five suspects for their alleged involvement in the robbery of a gold vendor on Monday, during which thieves made off with more than US$30,000 in cash and gold, as well as a motorbike.

Yem Sophal, Cheung Prey district’s deputy chief of police, said five masked suspects, one of them armed with a gun, threatened the gold vendor, identified as 32-year-old Mok May, before robbing her.

“They were sitting and drinking wine in front of the victim’s house, waiting for her to come back home,” Yem Sophal said yesterday.

“When the victim came from working at a market, they threatened her with a gun while she was entering her home. The victim said that if she shouted, they will shoot her to death immediately.”

He added that the robbers stole about $150 in American currency, 58 million riel (about $14,400) and 10 damlung of gold (worth about $17,000), along with the victim’s motorbike.

“After the robbery, the victim filed a complaint to the police, but it was too late,” he said.

“They knew the living standards of the victim, and police concluded that they had committed robberies before in 2008, but they were not successful and [on Monday] they robbed again. Now police are taking efforts to arrest them.”

Neang Sovath, a coordinator for local rights group Adhoc in Kampong Cham province, said the suspects need to be arrested as soon as possible.

“Police must find the suspects and sentence them for the safety of the people in the province,” Neang Sovath said.