Jan 21: A 28-year-old widow was seriously beaten by three women and a man

in Ta Ngourn Village. Neighbors took Pheng Kean to Lok Sang Hospital. She said she

knew the four people who beat her up but was afraid to tell police.

Jan 23: Two robbers shot an 18-year-old high school student in the stomach

and stole his moto in front of La President Hotel on Kampuchea Krom near Phnom Penh

University. A man in a third-floor apartment nearby fired a shot in the air to warn

police, but the robbers escaped.

Jan 25: A would-be robber fired 10 shots into a house in Koh Dach village

in Kandal Province and wounded a couple inside watching television. Seven shots hit

Pem Phally, 34, and his wife Khan Touch but they survived. The robber ran away when

a guard platoon approached shooting into the air.

Jan 26: Two strong men were arrested on charges of planning to rape a young

dessert-seller in Kean Svay district. Police said they are suspects in other rapes

as well.

Jan 26: A security officer shot and killed two men suspected of being moto

thieves, in front of Wat Sophea Khom pagoda in Dang Kor District. Can Thon, 21, and

Reach Phalla, 25, rented a moto taxi and drove it from Phnom Penh. After the shootings,

a crowd kicked and hit the bodies.

Jan 27: A passenger hired mototaxi driver Mean Bo to drive him to a restaurant

in Preik Leap outside Phnom Penh, then invited the driver to join him for dinner.

But the passenger slipped a poison into Mean Bo's beer and stole his moto. Mean Bo,

49, who also works for the Department of Forestry, ended up in the hospital.

Jan 27: An argument between friends sent one of them to the hospital with

a knife wound in his abdomen, in Kandal Province. Tum Num, 53, was injured when he

began cursing at his friend during a visit to his house.

Jan 29: Wind blew over a bottle of gasoline, setting fire to a Vietnamese

fisherwoman's houseboat near Koh Norea, Mean Cheng District. Minga, 27, and her two

daughters were seriously burned.

Jan 30: A palm wine dealer was seriously injured when he tumbled from a

15-meter tree in Phnom Penh. Koeun Ty, 18, had climbed to the top of the tree. His

brother and sister could not explain his fall. They said the wind was light and there

was no lightning. He was taken to Calmette Hospital unconscious.

Jan 30: An angry customer stabbed and killed a porter he believed had shortchanged

him 200 riels in Prek Kdam village in Kandal Province. The porter was Chea Choun,

30.

Jan 31: A suspected moto thief was shot to death, and 10 of his friends

were arrested when they left a dancing bar in Phnom Penh. Police were waiting outside

the Bopha Tep bar because the owner of the stolen moto had spotted it there. Police

confronted the suspects as they emerged but San Van Veoun ran and was shot.

Feb 1: Two soldiers were shot dead and a woman was wounded during an argument

over fish heads in Dean Ampil Military Camp. Pin and Phlouk got in an argument with

a third soldier, Ly Svy, over the decomposing fish heads used to make prahok, the

popular and pungent fish paste. Pin was shot several times and Phlouk died trying

to help him. Phlouk's wife ran to her husband and was also shot. Ly Svy was arrested.

Feb 1: Police found a five-month-old baby crying next to the body of his

mother. They are searching for Thourn Thy, 24, who they suspect shot and killed Som

Yeau, 24, while drinking.

Feb 3: A 45-year-old widow was strangled by someone who wound nylon cord

twice around her neck. Pen Maly was found in her house in Khan Daun Penh district.

Missing was a gold ring and two necklaces.

- Summarized from Khmer newspapers by Li Chhiv Rong, Soly Vannpok and Lor Saly.