Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Police offer tuk-tuk drivers $100 for each bag snatcher turned in

Police offer tuk-tuk drivers $100 for each bag snatcher turned in

Tuk-tuk drivers wait for customers in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kork district yesterday, where a new programme enlists drivers to help stop bag snatchers.
Tuk-tuk drivers wait for customers in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kork district yesterday, where a new programme enlists drivers to help stop bag snatchers.

Police offer tuk-tuk drivers $100 for each bag snatcher turned in

As part of a citywide effort to crack down on bag snatching, tuk-tuk drivers across Phnom Penh are being drafted by police to chase after and turn in robbers, with the promise of a $100 reward per case, according to officials.

On Monday, a group of roughly 25 tuk-tuk drivers met with Tuol Kork district police, where they were told to speed after thieves, knock them off their motorbikes and bring them to police headquarters to gather a reward, said Horm Kea, chief of the district’s Boeung Kak I commune, who was at the meeting. Any damage to the vigilantes’ vehicles would be paid for by officials, Kea said.

“This is our encouragement to them for their contribution as a citizen,” District Police Chief Houn Sothy added.

According to Deputy Phnom Penh Police Chief Song Ly, the drafting is another facet of a plan to crack down on petty crime, following a call last week by National Police Chief Neth Savoeun for officers to push for attempted murder charges against theft suspects.

While Tuol Kork is the first district to announce the tuk-tuk plan, it will be implemented across all 12 districts in the capital, Ly said. The budget for the incentives would come not from the National Police budget but from local “donation committees” or from money saved, he said, without clarifying.

But according to Yin Phalla, 35, a tuk-tuk driver who works in Tuol Kork, few drivers would likely achieve the task, despite the prevalence of theft.

“I don’t think it’s effective to get tuk-tuks to chase down the thieves or bag snatchers, because those snatchers’ motors are very fast,” he said, adding that this would likely increase traffic accidents. “I don’t think it’s possible.”

MOST VIEWED

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • Honda shutters Siem Reap football club

    Japanese football legend Keisuke Honda, the owner of Siem Reap football club Soltilo Angkor FC, has been forced to shut the club down, after it failed to attract sponsorship for the upcoming season. Honda, the former manager of the Cambodia men's national football team, said

  • Hun Sen warns of regional tensions

    ASIA is becoming a dangerous geopolitical hotspot, with several countries announcing that they intend to send naval vessels towards Southeast Asia and on to the South China Sea, warned Prime Minister Hun Sen. “Heated geopolitical issues can easily escalate, namely to war. I am not

  • PM declares ASEAN Para Games open

    The 12th ASEAN Para Games officially kicked off on the evening of June 3 at Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh, with a spectacular opening ceremony featuring fireworks and performances by some of the Kingdom’s most accomplished talents. Tens of thousands of sports fans

  • Waterway job still pending for Kampot tourism port’s opening

    The search is still on for a contractor to expand and deepen the Kampot International Tourism Port’s waterway and deliver additional enhancements allowing safe access for larger vessels, nearly a year after the main construction work on the 4.25ha site was completed on June 30, 2022.