Preah Sihanouk labourers held for alleged robberies

PREAH Sihanouk prov incial militar y police detained 15 suspects earlier this week for threatening and robbing people of t heir belongings.

The prosecutor at the Court of First Instance is still questioning the detainees on Tuesday before sending them to the investigating judge.

Prov i ncia l Milita r y Pol ice judicia l bureau chief Chheng Vut hy sa id on Tuesday t hat a l l t he suspects a re men aged bet ween 23 and 51 yea rs, a nd were const r uct ion workers.

“The prosecutor started questioning the suspects on Monday but was not able to complete the job. The court then requested that they be allowed to stay at the military command for a night before continuing to question them on Tuesday morning.

“They are a lleged to have threatened people before robbing t hem of t heir belongings,” he said.

Forces from Preah Sihanouk prov incia l Militar y Police detained them in Bit Traing commune, in Prey Nop district, on Sunday.

Vuthy said aut horities retrieved an excavator, four motorbikes, a cutting machine, si x k nives, t wo cleavers, 11 slingshots, t wo homemade guns, a hammer, nine mobile phones, a batter y, t wo caps and t wo carr y bags.

Adhoc Preah Sihanouk prov incia l coordinator Cheap Sothear y said criminal offences in t he prov ince had increased noticeably.

She expressed appreciation for t he ef forts of t he aut horities to tack le crime and said the arrests showed criminal offences had increased. People, she said, are concerned about t heir safet y in line with the dramatic increase of foreigners and newcomers to t he prov ince.

“We are also concerned about the flow of foreigners and new people. There are both good and bad people. The authorities and the public have to cooperate to stop the offence and provide information. The court system must also enhance its law enforcement activities,” she said.

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