Two phone-snatching thieves were arrested by Daun Penh district police in the capital’s Phsar Thmey II commune on Sunday after they were caught stealing an elderly American man’s iPhone.

Commune police chief Ear Phearum said on Monday that one of the suspects, 31-year-old Song Pich, was a porter at a bus stop and has no permanent residence. The other suspect, 25-year-old Srun Narong is unemployed and resided in Kandal province.

The two were sent to Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday.

Phearum said that at around 9am on Sunday, an elderly American man was walking around the Battambang-Pursat taxi station in Phsar Thmei II commune.

He put his iPhone X in his pocket and then the two suspects approached him on a motorcycle and snatched the phone before fleeing.

The victim and passersby shouted and police officers in the area were able to chase the suspects down to the US Embassy near Wat Phnom.

He said the suspects confessed that they had seized wallets and phones from passersby eight times in the past.

They said the money they stole had already been spent while the eight phones had been sold.