A quartet of thieves are on the run after shooting three people in the legs before stealing one of their KTM Duke motorbikes in an armed robbery in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district in the early hours of Sunday morning, police said.
The robbery took place at about 1:40 a.m. in Stung Meanchey commune when the thieves, who were driving two separate motorbikes, blocked the way of the four victims, who were also on two motorbikes, said district police chief Teng Sino. Two of the thieves then drew handguns and shot at the group as they scuffled over the bike, which can retail for about $4,500, he said.
“We are burning both hands and legs in cooperation with the municipal penal police to find the gunmen who stole the motorbike early this morning,” Mr. Sino said, using a common Khmer idiom for working hard. He said police were cooperating with the victims, although another official said the four could not be located on Sunday.
According to a police report, Prak Sambor, 21, was shot in his right leg; Nuon Lekh, 23, was shot in his left leg three times and Srey On was shot in her right leg. All three were treated at a local clinic.
“The four victims, along with their motorbikes, had been at Koh Pich watching a concert, and they were driving to their homes in Choam Chao commune when they met the four gunmen,” the report said.
“[Two of the gunmen] pulled out their handguns and opened fire to rob the victims’ Duke motorbike, leaving three of them injured, including one woman, who is a garment worker,” it adds.
Song Ly, chief of the municipal police’s minor crimes bureau, said that the three victims had left the clinic they were being treated at before police returned on Sunday to continue questioning them.
“Our…police are investigating this, and are trying to meet the victims to find out the identity of the gunmen,” he said. “Even though we have some cameras posted on the street, we need the victims to help us identify the gunmen.”
