Police reduce ranks of violent, armed gang

A nine-man gang had committed nearly as many robberies as it had members before it began to unravel, with police arresting another member of the group in Battambang’s Sampov Loun district on Friday. Police said the 43-year-old and his eight buddies had made a routine of breaking into Battambang and Pursat houses until a burglary-gone-wrong ended with them shooting a man to death in November. At that time, police arrested one suspect, and in December they obtained the warrant for this second arrest. Now they’re on the lookout for the others. Nokorwat

Siblings suspected of slinging in Siem Reap

Police shut down a thriving family business on Friday, arresting a 30-year-old man and his 43-year-old sister, who investigators say had been making big waves in the meth market in Siem Reap town for six months. Police said they found 63 tablets of yama meth pills and six small packages of powder on the enterprising pair after catching them at a construction site informants said was their place of business. Rasmey Kampuchea

Addict quits booze and gambling, not fighting

A 35-year-old alcoholic and gambling addict in Svay Rieng’s Svay Chrum district demonstrated the extent of his self-control problems on Thursday when he allegedly used a knife to hack a groom-to-be several times in the head, neck, arms and back. The victim, who was to be married next week, was returning home from work when the suspect set upon him, seeking some sort of revenge, police said. He was arrested later that same day. Koh Santepheap

Teen trio discovers that stealing is not a game

A gamble at good times didn’t prove very fun for two of three teenaged troublemakers in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district on Friday. Police said the trio saw a young woman sitting on a park bench playing a game on her mobile phone. They then tried to take the phone and fun for themselves, snatching the gadget from the woman’s hands. But patrolling cops managed to arrest two of the pilferers and sent them to court. The other escaped. Deum Ampil

Motorbike taxi driver is swiped in hit-and-run

A 36-year-old motodop was badly injured on Thursday in a hit-and-run in Phnom Penh’s Daun Penh district. Police said the victim was driving along Monivong Boulevard when a car speeding down Russian Boulevard hit him at the crossroads, knocking him from his moto and then flooring it. Police found the car abandoned about three kilometres from the scene. The victim was sent to Calmette hospital. Kampuchea Thmey

Translated by Phak Seangly