Fun ends when cleaver and fists enter the fray

A little friendly ribbing between the sexes somehow morphed into a cleaver attack in the capital’s Chamkarmon district on Wednesday. Neighbours said the man and woman, 28 and 31, were poking fun at each other when things escalated into a full-blown argument. The woman stormed out, only to return with a cleaver and hacked the man in the left arm. He responded by punching her several times in the face. Police finally arrested the duo, sending them to separate hospitals for treatment and, one would hope, separate cells. Kampuchea Thmey

Curmudgeonly client clocks father and son

A Phnom Penh haberdasher won’t be winning any customer of the year awards after administering a beat-down on a father-son restaurateur duo. According to police, things went south fast at the Pursat town dining facility on Wednesday when the visitor asked the son – working as a waiter at the restaurant – for a glass of water and didn’t get it fast enough. Words soon escalated into a brawl, with the diner leaving both the 25-year-old server and his intervening father with serious injuries. He is now awaiting a court date. Nokorwat

Garment workers grab get-up from factory

The latest autumn fashions proved a tad too tempting to a pair of Takeo garment workers this week. The duo, aged 30 and 31, tried to slip out with some of their wares on Wednesday, only to be tripped up by factory security. Turned over to Bati district police, the duo quickly confessed, adding that they had pilfered the duds because they could never afford to buy them. Kampuchea Thmey

Teens bring out belts to give classmates welts

Four high-school students in Kandal are on the lam after allegedly whipping a trio of classmates with belts, leaving them seriously injured. Police said an argument between the two groups ended with the three victims, sharing one motorbike, being chased straight into an oncoming car. Knocked to the ground, the trio were unable to defend themselves as they were beaten about the head and body with the belts. Their families have filed complaints to police and the victims are recovering in hospital. Kampuchea Thmey

Bag-snatchers bested by a couple of cousins

A pair of would-be bag snatchers proved no match for two female cousins in Phnom Penh last weekend. Travelling on their moto about 10pm, the cousins were accosted by a dubious duo who went after

the passenger’s bag. During the struggle, both bikes went down in the middle of the street, with the racket – and the victim’s cries – alerting patrolling police. One of the thieving pair managed to escape, but his 18-year-old partner awaits a date in court. Koh Santepheap

Translated by Phak Seangly