Friday, 11 September 2009

Phnom Penh Police Closing in on Armed Robbers, Arrests Made

Written by DAP NEWS -- Friday, 11 September 2009

Phnom Penh Municipal Police, cooperating with affiliated military police, are closing in on a gang of armed robbers. There are 6 suspects hoped to be arrested this week, a high ranking police told DAP News Cambodia. In a possibly related case, Russey Keo district police chief had been removed from his position, though the reason for his removal has not be revealed.
Ya Kim I, Phnom Penh military police chief, said that there have been no robberies since the end of August, as an increase in the number of armed officers on the streets had helped ensure security in Phnom Penh.

“All of [the robbers] are staying in silence while our armed forces increase security. However, we are still operating our duties,” he told DAP News Cambodia on Thursday.

“Thousands of Phnom Penh police officials are deployed at all main targets, such as markets and other places. Our forces can be mobile in time if any event takes place,” he added.

One NGO official recently told DAP News Cambodia that robbers loot with impunity as police relax. The police often do work 24 hours in Cambodia, the anonymous NGO worker noted. But Touch Naroth, Phnom Penh commissioner, told DAP News Cambodia on Thursday that progress was being made. “We arrested three suspicious men involved in robberies on Wednesday as they were ready to operate,” he said. “All of them were arrested at 12:30 pm in Russey Keo district and confiscated two guns from them.”

“They suppose that we are would be neglectful, and they think that they can operate at noon, but they cannot be out of our operation. We are ready 24 hours,” he asserted.

The Phnom Penh commissioner added that police on Wednesday arrested another three suspicious men in Dangkor district who confessed that they used had committed four robberies.

The arrest made vendors happy. “We know that Phnom Penh police recently arrested some suspicious men, therefore, we appreciate and encourage them to arrest other suspicious men,” Cheang Vann, a vendor in Russey Keo district, told DAP News Cambodia.

The vendor claimed that robberies that resulted in the recent killings of two vendors had made many fearful. “We suggest the police continue to ensure security in Phnom Penh.”

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