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Seiha Hak Helps Nab Robber at Long Beach Jewelry Store

Three practitioners of kun khmer, traditional Cambodian kickboxing, helped the owner of a jewelry store in the Cambodian section of Long Beach subdue an armed robber Monday.

Vi Mean Chey Jewelry on the 1200 block of Anaheim Street was the target of a robbery attempt by three men. The men sought to enter the store under the pretext of wanting to buy gold chains. The owner Chhom Choy insisted that only one man enter at a time.

Once inside the store the suspect pulled a gun and vaulted over the counter. Choy resisted. During the ensuing scuffle at least one shot was fired. The robber tried to flee out the back only to discover that there is no back door.

“My dad chased him and they started fighting,” said Choy’s daughter Narong, translating the account of her mother, Danna Ngeth, who was holding her infant grandchild.

Choy’s niece, who had just left her infant daughter at the store, returned after hearing sounds of the struggle.

“I saw a commotion and [the suspect] was hitting people,” said Beltran.

She jumped into the fray. She had blood on her blouse and lost a shoe in the scuffle.

At about the time the three suspects tried to enter the store, three kun khmer practitioners visiting from New York had stopped at an adjacent store. They heard the fight next door and heard two young men jump into a car, possibly a Ford Thunderbird, and drive off.

“I see a guy screaming and then my student (ran) over,” said Bunsong Seng, a visiting kun khmer instructor.

His student Seiha Hak ran into the jewelry store and used a arm-bar hold to to subdue the suspect. He was followed by Seng and another martial artist named Mam.

The suspect’s arm may have been broken during the scuffle, said Seng.

Choy was taken to a hospital with a bloody head injury suffered during the scuffle, either from a bullet or from being hit with the gun. His injuries are believed to be minor.

The family had never suffered a prior robbery attempt during the 10 years they owned the store. The store has a security system and a video camera.

After the police arrived the suspect was taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries. His identity wasn’t released by police.

Hak, Seng and Mam were visiting Long Beach to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the opening of the kickboxing studio of local kun khmer legend Oumry Ban.

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