A man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of being involved in a violent armed robbery at a gas station in Kompong Speu province on Tuesday evening that left a teenager with serious head injuries, police and military police said.
Non Dara, Samraong Tong district deputy military police commander, said three men stormed the Huy Sokleang gas station and Wing money transfer kiosk in Ralaing Kroeul commune, brandishing two AK-47 rifles and a Glock, as the family was closing.
“At about 8 p.m. yesterday evening, before the family closed the petrol station the wife turned on the lights to check around her station…but immediately one suspect appeared and scuffled with the wife,” Mr. Dara said.
The two other suspects then ran into the building with an AK-47 and a handgun and beat the two daughters of owners Leng Ratha, 48, and Huy Sokleang, 46. They hit 19-year-old Leng Lai In over the head before taking aim at her, he said. The other daughter sustained only minor injuries, and Mr. Dara said he did not record her name.
“One suspect used the butt of the rifle to beat [Ms. Lai In], seriously injuring her on the head, and then began shooting multiple times to the sky,” Mr. Dara said. “Ms. Leng Lai In yelled for help, so one suspect shot at her, but the bullet just skimmed her back.”
The attackers then ordered Ms. Sokleang and Ms. Lai In to open their safe. The trio made away with a total of about $8,550 in cash, and two damlung of gold and other jewelry worth a total of $3,080.
Ms. Lai In was receiving treatment for her head injuries at a local clinic, Mr. Dara said.
Svay Yoeun, deputy chief of the central judicial bureau of the pro- vincial police, said one of the suspects was detained Wednesday afternoon and was being questioned after a set of footprints was traced to a house about 2 km from the crime scene.
“After we checked at the scene we also found six shells from an AK-47 rifle and one shell from a Glock gun nearby,” Mr. Yoeun said.
