Neighbourly call to cops delivers grim surprise

A vigilant neighbour was dealt a nasty blow – but not so grizzly as the one dealt to the man next door – when he reported his missing neighbour to police. Local officials broke into the quiet Takeo house to find the body of the 47-year-old man in a pool of blood, apparently stabbed in the neck. Police in the Angkor Borei district are short on clues as to the identity the knife-wielding assailant, but say it is definitely murder. Koh Santepheap

No chance at encore for purse-snatching duo

A bag-snatching double-act had the curtains brought down on them Monday after their final performance caused a runaway smash. The purloining pair was cruising in Phnom Penh’s Daun Penh district when one made a grab for another moto driver’s purse, while his partner snatched the necklace from the passenger. The surprise performance caused the victims to come off their vehicle while the two leading men made off with their loot, unaware that police had been an audience to the incident. The players were swiftly nabbed and sent to court. Rasmey Kampuchea

Malicious moto thieves shoot, kill elderly man

Cowardly crims shot an elderly man dead on Monday while trying to steal his moto, before fleeing empty-handed. Police said the incident in Kampong Cham’s Tbong Khmum district started out as a robbery, with the callous crooks breaking into the 72-year-old’s house to steal his moto. The victim shouted for help but wasn’t counting on one of the thieves pulling out a pistol. A nervous neighbour heard the gunshot but was too afraid to investigate. Police are now on the lookout for the trigger-happy thieves. Deum Ampil

Holiday ends abruptly at construction worksite

Mystery surrounds the deaths of two construction workers whose bodies were found at a building site in Kampot on Monday. Workers at the site were on holiday when the bodies were discovered, returning to work to find themselves in a police investigation. Officers are hoping someone at the site can help them hit the nail on the head and solve the morbid mystery. Rasmey Kampuchea

Fast and the Furious: Phnom Penh edition

A 23-year-old man heading home on his moto through the quiet streets of Phnom Penh was sent into a spin on Monday when a speeding hoon came out of nowhere and knocked him off his bike. The remorseless rev-head sped on through Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district, evading police, who followed in hot pursuit. The unlucky moto driver was left with serious injuries. Deum Ampil

Translated by Sen David