5 Held in Slaying, Robbery of Factory Owner

Three more suspects have been arrested in connection with Monday’s payroll robbery on Russian Boulevard, during which a Cambodian-American garment factory manager was shot dead by robbers armed with AK-47 assault rifles, police said.

A total of five suspects have been arrested following the bra­zen, midmorning attack on the busy boulevard and main traffic route to Phnom Penh Inter­na­tional Airport, Reach Sokhon, Phnom Penh penal police chief, said Tuesday.

Three more suspects are still on the run, Reach Sokhon said. The snatch was the third major factory payroll heist this year, Reach Sokhon added.

On Monday, “we divided up in five directions to raid the offenders. We are working hard to crack ­down on time,” he said.

Police reported Monday that the 50-year-old manager of the In­tech Footwear Industry in Russei Keo district, Doseth Huang, also known as Vong Kov Sen, was shot in his vehicle near the Royal University of Phnom Penh after making a $70,500 withdrawal from a city bank to pay staff salaries.

Wearing military-style jackets to hide their AK-47s, three men riding on two motorcycles forced Doseth Huang to pull over before they opened fire and snatched the payroll.

Police said the robbers made off with around $50,000, as Doseth Huang had $20,000 hidden on his body.

Two suspects were arrested Monday afternoon and three others Monday night. A cache of handguns, rifles and grenades were later discovered in Chaom Chau commune, along with four new motorcycles and $5,285 in cash. Police Chief Reach Sokhon said it is unlikely any more of the missing mon­ey—some $45,000—would be found.

According to Reach Sokhon, most of those involved in the robbery were recently released from prison, and one suspect has confessed that the group has been involved in eight crimes, including the killing of a police officer and a Filipino national in Tuol Kok district.

 

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