Young thief fishes for phones, catches charge

A teenaged thief using a long pole with a basket on the end to steal two phones through an open window ended up getting the short end of the stick when he was caught in the act, police in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kork district said. A neighbour saw the 16-year-old suspect mid-theft and woke the sleeping student with his shouts. The panicked plunderer injured himself jumping to the ground and was unable to hobble away from arrest. Kampuchea Thmey

Cops teach criminal mentor valuable lesson

FOLLOWING a several-hour chase, police finally caught an alleged criminal-of-all-trades on Saturday. The apparently versatile 28-year-old was suspected of not only drug trafficking and thievery but also giving rides and other assistance to aspiring fellow thieves in Kandal province and Phnom Penh. After escaping police in Kandal’s Sa’ang district, the alleged veteran of dirty dealings made it to Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district, and dumped a gun, before he was arrested. Police are now questioning him and searching for accomplices. Nokorwat

Woman learns not to irk the over-caffeinated  

A DISPUTE over table arrangements led to blows in Phnom Penh’s Daun Penh district on Saturday. Police said that a clothes shop employee became enraged when her co-worker placed a cup of coffee on top of her packet of medicine. The coffee-drinker refused to remove the offending beverage, initiating an argument that ended with the caffeinated woman stabbing her opponent in the stomach and leg. Police arrested her and said that the two had never gotten along. Deum Ampil

One dead, one injured in head-on hit-and-run

A TRAFFIC accident in Pursat town killed a 22-year-old man and left another man, 42, badly injured on Friday. Police said the crash occurred between a speeding car and two motos driving in the opposite direction. One moto rider was killed instantly and the second was taken to the hospital with severe head and leg injuries. The car’s driver escaped, and police seized the car. Nokorwat

Purse snatchers foiled by vigilante teamwork

After snatching a moto-rider’s purse in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district, two 17-year-old thieves botched the getaway. The thieves had no sooner snatched the woman’s purse and sped off than they found the purse-less woman in pursuit, shouting for help. Military police intervened, forcing the suspects to ditch the purse and escape on foot into a village, where a group of villagers captured them. The bag was returned to the victim and the suspects were sent to court. Nokorwat

Translated by Phak Seangly