A pair of would-be thieves spied near an unoccupied home in the capital on Tuesday assuaged a suspicious neighbour by explaining that they were simply plumbers on a routine job.

Police said the ruse might have held up had the Russei Keo district home’s owner not returned just as they were jimmying the door.

Outed, they attempted to flee, but the homeowner and neighbour teamed up to detain them for police. KOH SANTEPHEAP