A tattoo artist is being hunted by police after US$30,000 worth of jewellery and gold was stolen from his employer while he was out jogging.

Huoth Chan, a police officer in the capital’s Toul Kork district, said yesterday that authorities were working to arrest 26-year-old Suong Sophal, who comes from Kandal province’s Sa’ang district, following the robbery which took place at a tattoo parlour in the district’s Phsar Depot II commune on Saturday.

The tattooist’s South Korean employer, 55-year-old businessman Chang Buhwa, had left the shop at 6:00am to keep fit by running  around gardens located near to the Ministry of Defence.

“[The goods] were stolen by his staff member while he had left his shop for exercise. The suspect escaped after the robbery,” the district policeman alleged.

He added that the artist had worked for his employer for more than a year.

“Police are now working hard for his arrest and to bring him to the court,” Houth Chan added.