The Kandal Provincial Court on June 1 charged a young man with aggravated theft, two days after his arrest in Sa’ang district’s Sa’ang Phnom commune.

Court spokesman Ek Sun Reaskmey told The Post that 18-year-old Poy Phanit had been charged under Article 357 of the Criminal Code. He faces three to 10 years in prison if found guilty.

Commune police chief Khim Sok Khay said that around 8pm on May 29, two women aged 17 and 18, both from the commune’s Tanu village, were threatened by two men on a motorcycle, who demanded they hand over their purses and a phone.

The next morning, the two victims reported the robbery to the commune police and gave descriptions of the offenders.

District police chief Ros Chantha immediately launched an investigation, with one of the suspects quickly identified as Phanit, a Grade 7 student in the district. Police are continuing to search for the unnamed second offender.

Police officers seized an iPhone 6 and more than 100,000 riel ($25) and returned it to the victims.