The Phnom Penh authorities’ crackdown on illegal pawnshops across the city has resulted in a decrease in robberies along with thousands of vehicles confiscated, a senior official said.

Deputy Phnom Penh Governor Khlaing Huot said a second campaign to weed out illegal pawnshops began on Tuesday when he led a team to inspect a pawnshop in Tuol Kork district.

The campaign will be throughout the capital to check all pawnshops to see if they are illegally operating, he said.

“The crackdown on illegal pawnshops has greatly reduced the theft of motorcycles and cars because the thieves no longer have places to ‘fence’ their ill-gotten gains due to the elimination of these illegal pawn shops,” he said.

“We will continue to stamp out illegal pawnshops, the legal ones can continue their business as usual,” he said.

Huot also called on all people to cooperate with local authorities in stamping out illegal pawnshops in a move to eradicate theft, illegal gambling and drug distribution throughout Phnom Penh.

The first phase of campaign took place for five days in September last year, resulting in the confiscation of 1,113 motorbikes, 12 auto-rickshaws, nine-tricycles and 14 cars from illegal pawnshops.

The police raided 53 pawnshops in Tuol Kork and found 13 pawnshops illegally operating, the motorbikes and cars were confiscated and nine people were arrested and sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for further proceedings.

Yong Kim Eng, Director of the People’s Centre for Development and Peace, saw the authorities’ campaign as a good way to reduce theft in the country, but pawnshops still accept undocumented motorbikes or cars, which will still encourage stealing and accentuate the problem.

However, he asked the authorities to investigate and crackdown on all illegal pawnshop owners in a fair, transparent and non-partisan manner.

“The participation of people in this campaign is good as they can provide information to the authorities, because most people know the locations,” he said.

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