A 28-year-old pregnant woman was placed in pre-trial detention on April 7 for theft with aggravated circumstances for allegedly stealing a gold necklace from 67-year-old woman in Siem Reap province’s Angkor Chum district in late March, a court official said.
Provincial court spokesperson Yin Srang said Kun Huoch was charged under Article 357 of the Criminal Code.
Authorities arrested Huoch on April 6 after she allegedly used glue on tissue paper to stick Yorm Ruom’s mouth together then took her gold necklace valued at a tael ($2,400) – a Chinese unit of weight equivalent to 37.5g – in Angkor Chum district on March 30.
Sok Meng Eang, director of the provincial police’s serious crimes bureau, said on April 8 that authorities arrested Huoch after Ruom, a resident of Tasom village in Angkor Chum district’s Tasom commune, filed a complaint.
Sok said the two were acquainted and Huoch robbed the victim while she was alone at home. Ruom’s relative filed a complaint with the district police, leading to the arrest.
“The suspect did not confess and blamed the victim’s son for ordering her to do so. But later, the suspect said that she was the one who did it,” Sok said.
The woman faces between three and 10 years if found guilty.