Hiding in a pond: works in movies, not in real life

Rather than chance a game of Frogger on Svay Rieng’s windy roads, a plucky moto thief instead leapt into a village pond to avoid police. The alleged bike snatcher, 26, and his pal swiped the bike from outside a restaurant on Wednesday, closely followed by local police. The pair abandoned the bike on the fly and escaped into a village, one man taking refuge in a camouflaging pond. Police were surrounding the pond when the slimy suspect emerged five hours later. But his mate had hopped away. Koh Santepheap

Speeding driver killed in Battambang town

A merry shindig turned to tragedy on Wednesday when a guest was killed speeding home in Battambang town. The 30-year-old victim, a local bank agent, is believed to have received several calls from his wife, to which he finally responded by hurrying home in the dark. The unfortunate driver then crashed his vehicle into a crossroads roundabout and died at the scene. Police said alcohol may be a factor. Koh Santepheap

Sidewalk scuffler now walking on cell block

A sidewalk scrooge who assaulted a stallholder for taking up too much footpath could face a confined space of his own after police arrested him on Wednesday. The suspect, 40, from Takeo’s Bati district, engaged in a heated exchange over the particulars of the perceived encroachment in front of his house, before the fed-up stallholder, 48, gave him a strong telling-off. The riled resident beat the woman, who reported him to police. The stingy suspect confessed, saying the stall blocked the entrance to his house. Nokorwat

Snatch-thief gets taste of his own medicine

A phone-snatching duo parted ways on Wednesday when police, in turn, snatched one of the filching fellows from the getaway moto, while his mate drove off. Authorities said the pair sped up alongside a lone motorist in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district and snatched his iPhone, leaving the alarmed victim shouting for help. One of the thieves, aged 22, was caught, while the escapee, 20, is a known suspect, police say. Deum Ampil

Police in pursuit of five rock-hurling hooligans

Sticks and stones may break bones, but naming names will hopefully hurt the perpetrators of an apparently random stoning in Phnom Penh’s Daun Penh district on Wednesday. Police say five brooding bozos attacked a helpless 20-year-old man with rocks as he was walking alone. The stone throwers escaped on bikes while the wounded victim was taken to hospital. The perps are still at large. Deum Ampil

Translated by Phak Seangly