Two teenagers – one the son of a military police officer – were detained overnight by a rubber company in Mondulkiri's Pech Chreada district on Monday after allegedly attempting to steal wood from an economic land concession, officials said yesterday.

Slang Chou, Bousraa commune deputy police chief, told the Post that the two boys, aged 15 and 17, were caught on Sofin Company's land with chainsaws.

"The two teens were detained inside the company for a night and on Tuesday morning, the company released them," Chou said.

Yoeut Trin, Bousraa commune chief, disputed this account, claiming that the teenagers had not trespassed but were on land bordering the company and a community forest.

He added that the company did not inform him about the arrests.

"I have been to the company to warn them not to do anything like this again in the future," he said.

Representatives of Sofin could not be reached for comment yesterday.