A man who attempted to rob a police officer of his motorbike was beaten to death by a mob of villagers in Kandal province’s Sa’ang district on Friday, provincial police said yesterday, adding that no suspect had so far been identified.

According to district police chief Seng Socheat, a police officer identified as 33-year-old Chhay Sina was riding his motorbike alone – wearing his police uniform – in Prek Koy commune’s Svay Tany village on Friday when four men on two motorbikes yelled at him, demanding he stop.

Sina refused and shouted for help, quickly gathering a crowd of villagers who caught up with two of the four robbers and severely beat them before handing them over to the police. One of the robbers, Chamroeun Seyha, 26, died in the hospital after succumbing to his injuries.

Chao Vuthy, director of the Kandal provincial crime office, yesterday said authorities “had not identified the real suspects” in the beating, but added that he was “working on the case very attentively”.

“Now I am collecting information from villagers living near the site . . . about the killing,” he said, adding that he had already questioned five villagers.

A commune police officer who asked not to be identified said the mob comprised 20 to 30 villagers who “punched and kicked” the suspects, adding that no weapon was found at the scene.