A sodier, a policeman and a former deputy commune police chief have been charged with armed robbery after tens of thousands of dollars in gold and currency was stolen from a woman in Kandal province.

The crime – which took place on March 6 – saw 65-year-old You Engly attacked in her home in Muk Kampoul district’s Roka Korng I commune after being followed home by robbers carrying guns. They stole a bag containing 28 damleung of gold (33.6 troy ounces), US$6,000, 10,000 Thai Baht (around $330), 15 million riels (around $3,750) and three mobile phones.

Chief of the Kandal Police, Iv Chamroeun, said that four suspects were charged in connection with the crime yesterday. They are Royal Cambodian Armed Forces soldier Chhuon Chheng, 39, Roka Korng police officer Lon Meangly, 40, the former deputy chief of Roka Korng Police Khoun Vuthy, 57, and a Phnom Penh-base motodop called Suong Sath, 41.

“They were professional armed robbers in Cambodia,” alleged Iv Camroeun.

The arrests came as a 73-year-old woman was murdered in an unconnected violent gold robbery in Kandal village, Chhlong commune, Chhlong district, in Kratie province on Monday.