Public Announcement

Theary Seng's 012.222.552 phone stolen, 5:45 p.m. 13 April 2011, Metro Cafe by local Cambodian woman

I am realizing now that the little thief took my Sony digital camera as well (Thursday afternoon, April 14)!

Theary Seng on stolen Nokia phone, Dec. 2009

Metro Cafe, Phnom Penh, approx. 6 p.m.

At approximately 6 p.m. I had my Nokia phone stolen by a Cambodian woman, never before seen by Metro staff, who was sitting next to me at the counter of Metro Cafe, while I was engaged doing work on my computer. The security camera captured the image of the Cambodian woman sitting next to me and showed me putting my phone in my unzipped computer bag - which was lying on the seat between us - just after I finished a phone conversation on that same phone with a friend.

According to the Metro staff, it’s the first time a phone has been reported stolen there during its 5 years of operation.

What is also noteworthy is that she is a local woman who came in to sit in one empty bar seat between me engaged on my computer and Kiwi Nathan engaged with two other friends, when only 1/3 or less of the restaurant were occupied; that is to say, a never-seen-before-local woman, dressed in normal clothes came in to sit between a preoccupied me and an engaged Kiwi man for less than 8 minutes before walking away with my phone.

I am more concerned about the potential manipulation of data than the actual loss of the physical machine (which is at least 4 yrs. old and dropped countless times of little monetary value), especially in light of the timing in relation to my public role in opening up the highly, political cases of 003/004 at the Extraordinary Chambers.

It's a tedious hassle if it’s a normal theft; it's an added threat if it's politically related to my work and activities re ECCC Cases 003/004.

Friends and colleagues, please email me your phone number This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . As everything is closed for the Khmer new year, it will be not till next week when I can start to retrieve and hopefully be reached on this number again.

I owned and regularly used only one phone of this well-known number 012.222.552. I condemn beforehand any manipulation of data and information.

- a really, really pissed-off Theary C. SENG, Phnom Penh Metro

Security Camera Time Sequence

17:38.23   You stopped phone call and put in your bag

17:39.12    That lady came in by left side door

17:39.27   That Lady sitting down next to you

17:47.47   She got out of seat and stood beside counter

17:48.18   She walked out by the same way.