A 17-year-old shoeshine was beaten badly by residents in the capital’s Prampi Makara district yesterday after allegedly breaking into a house and leaving with a cellphone, police said.

The teen snuck into the house at night through the roof but the owner awoke and shouted for help.

Neighbours punched, kicked and slapped the teen until he was unconscious, and the phone was returned. Police said the suspect eventually told them that his low income drove him to commit the crime. KOH SANTEPHEAP