Phnom Penh police have arrested a man accused of stealing from a tourist who had fallen asleep on a city street after drinking six cans of beer.
Authorities reported that the incident took place at 12:49 AM on March 16, 2025, outside the OQB7 clothing store at the corner of Street 57 and Street 302 in Boeung Keng Kang 1, Phnom Penh.
The victim, identified as Joshua Bryce, a 29-year-old South African, was staying at Nangkol Guesthouse on Street 302. Earlier that evening, around 7:30 PM on March 15, he took a tricycle from the riverside bus stop to his accommodation. He later walked to a nearby convenience store, purchased six cans of beer, and drank them, before lying down in front of the clothing store, where he eventually fell asleep.
When Bryce woke up around 4:00 AM, he discovered that his cell phone, passport, and approximately $50 in cash had been stolen. The next morning, he filed a complaint with the Boeung Keng Kang 1 Administrative Police Station.
Following the report, Phnom Penh Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Chuon Narin ordered an investigation using security camera footage. The footage showed a suspect on a bicycle pulling a garbage cart stealing from the sleeping tourist.
Police quickly identified and arrested the suspect, 25-year-old Sok Tith, a Cambodian scavenger residing in Chbar Ampov. Authorities also recovered the stolen phone and passport.
Sok Tith has been taken to the Boeung Keng Kang 1 Police Station for further legal action.
