Cambodia bank robbery an inside job

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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- A purported bank holdup-turned-hostage-taking in Cambodia, turned out to be some sort of inside job and ended with five arrests, police said.

Police in Kampong Cham province arrested the five late Wednesday, Voice of America Kmer reported.

Initially, police told reporters dozens of anti-terrorism officers had surrounded an Acleda bank where two drug users were believed to have taken three employees hostage Tuesday. Police said they provided a small amount of methamphetamine demanded by the so-called hostage takers.

Eventually, police entered the bank and determined the five individuals inside were working in cooperation with each other, VOA said. One alleged bank employee was named as the "ringleader" by police.

Police said it appeared the suspects intended to rob the bank but no money was missing and it was not clear how they intended to carry out the alleged crime.