PHNOM PENH, Aug. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- Two ancient gold-plated Buddha statues were stolen from a popular pagoda in kandal province on earlier Tuesday morning, local newspapers reported on Friday.

    It was said that the statues, weighing about 200 kg each, were priceless statues, each contained about eight kg of gold. Moreover, they (the statues) drew many foreign and local visitors to this pagoda called Phnom Reap, district police Chief Tith Vong was quoted by The Cambodia Daily as saying.

    Tith Vong said that the two statues were stoled under the coverof darkness and the theft might be familiar with the building. "This case could involve insiders because all the locks of the Buddhas' building were not cut," he added.

    Three months ago, a similar 200 kg Buddha statue was stolen in neighboring Kandal district. No arrests were made so far. Enditem