Fumbling first-timer foiled by victim’s return

Military police in Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district arrested a not-so-sly 17-year-old accused of trying to steal a moto on Sunday. Cops said the victim, 21, had parked his moto outside his rental room around 11pm when the suspect pretended to take a rest on it, while in fact attempting to steal it. When the victim returned, the suspect fled. The victim’s shouts drew military police, who pinched the pilferer. The suspect confessed, saying it was the first time he had committed the crime, and was sent to court. Nokorwat

Testy trio teach fellow motorist rules of road

Road rage got the better of three twenty-something males who were apprehended on Saturday after allegedly beating a 20-year-old man in Kampong Cham’s Tbong Khmum district over a road argument. Police said the suspects attacked the victim on the road with wooden sticks, belts and shoes while one of them rammed him with a moto, critically wounding him. Police arrested the suspects at the scene as they were about to escape on a motorbike. The victim was hospitalized. The police sent the suspects to the provincial court. Nokorwat

Heated marital dispute gets too hot to handle

A 32-year-old firebug was nabbed on Friday for setting his house ablaze in Kampong Speu’s Samrong Tong district following a tiff with his wife. The man’s wife said that the hothead stormed into the house, and about five minutes later, the home was on fire. She shouted for help and her neighbors intervened. Police said no one was injured, and that the fire did not spread to other houses in the neighbourhood. Police arrested her husband on charges of arson and sent him to court. Nokorwat

Pistol-whipping punk put in Prey Sar by police

Chamkamorn district police in Phnom Penh finally caught and sent a 23-year-old man to court on Saturday after he pistol-whipped a restaurant-goer in the head and escaped into the dead of night in August. The victim had filed a complaint with police, and a warrant was issued last month. The suspect confessed and was put in pre-trial detention at Prey Sar prison. Koh Santepheap

Man arrested for taking knocked-out cop’s gun

A 28-year-old man was sent to the provincial court on Saturday for keeping a weapon illegally in Takeo’s Bati district. Police said a military police officer had his gun stolen while was unconscious after a  traffic accident in August last year. The victim made a report of the gun theft, police investigated and arrested the suspect who confessed, saying that he kept the gun for self-protection and never used it for any crime. Koh Santepheap

Translated by Phak Seangly