A completely different sort of shotgun wedding

A 31-year-old man and his wife, still basking in the warm fuzzy feelings that friends’ weddings and the beverages served there tend to spread, found their contentment shattered rather abruptly on Monday when two men stole their motorcycle. Police in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district said the couple was returning home when two men threatened them with a gun. The muggers shot the man, wounding him, and took the vehicle. Police are searching for thieves. Kampuchea Thmey

Threesome check out with more than produce

A grocery shop owner in Ratanakkiri’s Lumphat district was distressed to learn on Monday that three supposed customers were hungry only for illicit profit. Police said that three thieves, pretending to be patrons of the store, surreptitiously stole some of the shopkeeper’s money and his phone. The owner happily bid them farewell before realising he had been robbed. He then called police, who caught them and sent them to court. Rasmey Kampuchea

Crowd turns to mob in a flash to aid motodop

A short-tempered man became the victim of vigilante violence yesterday after he drunkenly beat up a moto taxi driver in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district. Police said that when the driver declined to transport the drunken man, the latter decided if he couldn’t get a ride from this driver, no one would, and set about beating him. Several observers rushed to the driver’s aid, pummelling the attacker, then fleeing before police arrived. Rasmey Kampuchea

Young lover in hospital after slash ’n’ run attack

On Monday, a few youths in Kampong Chhnang acted out a real-life soap opera, replete with a journey to visit a sweetheart, a love triangle and one of the Blotter’s ubiquitous samurai swords. Police said a 19-year-old man and his friend were bicycling to visit the man’s girlfriend when two fellows sped by on a moto and slashed him with with the sword, before speeding away. Witnesses could not see the suspects’ faces but said the incident had the look of a lover’s quarrel. The injured man was sent to hospital. Koh Santepheap

Dad stoned after refusing to help son get stoned

Drug withdrawal is known to bring on sour moods, but police in Banteay Meanchey’s Sisophon district didn’t think this was a good excuse when they arrested a 27-year-old addict for bludgeoning his father. Police said the son had smoked drugs every day with his friend until he ran out of money and asked his father for financial help. When the father refused, the son flew into a rage, tried to stab his dad, and then attacked him with a rock. Rasmey Kampuchea

Translated by Sen David