The French man arrested (Photo: Koh Santepheap)Fri, 12 Feb 2010
DPA
Phnom Penh - A French national living in Cambodia has been charged with the attempted robbery of a Cambodian bank and the illegal use of a weapon, national media reported Friday. Francois Chateau, 48, was arrested Monday after allegedly stealing 275 US dollars during a botched hold-up the same day in Phnom Penh.
Chateau, who owns a car repair shop and has lived in the country for 17 years, told the Cambodia Daily newspaper he tried to rob the bank after a telephone argument with his elderly father in France.
"I drank a bottle of whisky. I don't remember what happened," he said. "I remember I crashed into a glass door."
A clerk at the court said Chateau had confessed to the alleged crimes.
"We charged him with attempted robbery and illegal weapon possession," the clerk said. "He confessed to the robbery but said he was drunk."
Chateau told the newspaper that the Glock pistol he was carrying had been given to him by a friend years before.
"Everybody has a gun here, it's the culture since 1993 [but] I have never used it," he said.
Chateau faces up to 12 years in prison if found guilty of the two offences.
Chateau, who owns a car repair shop and has lived in the country for 17 years, told the Cambodia Daily newspaper he tried to rob the bank after a telephone argument with his elderly father in France.
"I drank a bottle of whisky. I don't remember what happened," he said. "I remember I crashed into a glass door."
A clerk at the court said Chateau had confessed to the alleged crimes.
"We charged him with attempted robbery and illegal weapon possession," the clerk said. "He confessed to the robbery but said he was drunk."
Chateau told the newspaper that the Glock pistol he was carrying had been given to him by a friend years before.
"Everybody has a gun here, it's the culture since 1993 [but] I have never used it," he said.
Chateau faces up to 12 years in prison if found guilty of the two offences.
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