An armed robber was injured during a shoot-out with military police in Preah Sihanouk province on Wednesday night after he stole a motorbike from a roadside dessert stall in Prey Nop district, officials said Thursday.
Ouk Chan Kdoeb, 41, was eating at the stall in Veal Rinh commune at around 8 p.m. when he grabbed a motorbike key belonging to Vorn Piseth, 21, off the table before briefly scuffling with Mr. Piseth and pulling out a gun, district police chief Hing Chanrith said.
Mr. Piseth “went to take dessert last night at 8 p.m. with his 125cc [Honda] Dream motorbike, and the gunman was also eating dessert,” Mr. Chanrith said.
“Then the gunman grabbed the victim’s motorbike key and the victim scuffled with the gunman. The gunman then pulled out a handgun, pointed it at the victim and escaped” with the motorbike, he said.
Mr. Chanrith said his officials called military police for backup, and together they blocked off National Road 4 and managed to detain the gunman about 20 minutes later after shots were fired.
Var Chanthon, provincial penal military police chief, said the gunman was shot in the right leg.
“District police cooperated with military police on National Road 4 to chase the suspect until there was an exchange of gunfire between our military police and the armed robber,” Mr. Chanthon said.
“The gunman, Ouk Chan Kdoeb, 41, was shot and injured on his right leg and we confiscated one K-59 handgun with seven bullets and one motorbike,” he said.
Mr. Chan Kdoeb was taken to a nearby clinic for treatment before being brought to the provincial military police station, Mr. Chanthon said, adding that he would be sent to the provincial court today.
