Car proves to be not so secure money safe

Police in Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district on Friday arrested a 43-year-man for allegedly stealing $5,250 from a car in September. Why the 46-year-old victim, who reported the theft to police, had chosen to use his vehicle as a makeshift safe box is unclear. Nevertheless, police worked hard to track down the suspect, who now has been sent to court. This is not the suspect’s first brush with the justice system, police said. Nokorwat

Moto drivers accused of bashing casino staff

Two Phnom Penh moto drivers were arrested on Friday for allegedly offering a man assistance not with transportation but with beating up two casino employees who were bothering him. The 34-year-old casino-goer reportedly had no sooner gotten into trouble with the two employees than he shouted for help to the nearby motodops, two of whom sprang to his assistance. Their intervention was apparently a bit over-zealous, involving attacks with rocks. It left the two casino workers in the hospital and the moto drivers in police custody. Kampuchea Thmey

Past comes back to haunt hairdresser

Youthful mistakes involving plastic furniture came back to haunt a 20-year-old barber on Saturday, when he was arrested for his role in beating up two men seven years ago. Police said that the then-teenager’s argument with the men at a wedding party quickly escalated into blows, and soon his six friends joined the fray, beating the defenceless duo with plastic chairs and wooden sticks. Police arrested three of the accomplices at the time and sent this most recent arrestee to court over the weekend. Nokorwat

Opportunistic theft in front of Royal Palace

Undeterred by the solemnity of the setting, two young thieves allegedly chose an easy target in front of the Royal Palace, snatching a Chinese tourist’s iPhone. Police said the woman was surveying the scene from the comfort of a three-wheeled motobike she was sharing with two tourist friends and had taken out her iPhone 4 to snap some shots when the suspects sped by on a motorbike and grabbed the gadget. Police heard the victim’s shouts for help, arrested the suspects, and sent them to court. The tourist and the iPhone were reunited. Nokorwat

Motodop killed by truck

A 31-year-old motodop died in hospital following a collision with a truck in Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district on Thursday. Police said the man was hit on his motorbike by a truck coming from the opposite direction. He died from serious head injuries in hospital. Police are searching for the runaway truck driver. Koh Santepheap

Translated by Phak Seangly