A woman accused of stealing a purse attempted to escapefrom Preah Sihanouk provincial courthouse by jumping out a window during the middle of her trial yesterday.

Pon Pha, a clerk at the court, said that Heng Leap, 21, asked that court investigators pause her questioning so she could use the restroom and then jumped out of a first-storey window – not the first instance of a suspect using nature’s call as an excuse to escape.

Leap’s getaway attempt was less successful than some others’, however. She landed badly, seriously injuring her hip, and was immediately arrested again and sent to hospital, Pha said.

“Police are guarding her in the hospital,” he said.  

Leap is accused of stealing another woman’s purse containing $50, 400,000 riel ($100) and an ATM card on Monday. Police arrested her after she attempted to withdraw money with the ATM card.