Kiwi arrested in Cambodia with fugitive Aussie

James Eglitis from Australia (L) and Brett Hastie from New Zealand were arrested by Cambodian Police in Siem Reap. Photo / Cambodia Police

A New Zealander has been arrested in Cambodia after an elderly teacher was attacked and robbed in his hotel room.

Brett Michael Hastie, 44, was arrested with Australian fugitive Guido James Eglitis, 68. Eglitis is wanted in Australia on kidnapping and torture charges.

The pair were arrested and taken into police custody in Siem Reap on Friday over a robbery that happened on September 29 when a 66-year-old Briton was attacked and his passport and camera stolen.

Eglitis, formerly of Warrnambool in Victoria, fled Australia on the eve of being committed to stand trial in Brisbane in 2007 after a magistrate ruled there was enough evidence to potentially convict him of attacking businessman Ronald Sydney Ryton-Benson.

He faces outstanding charges of kidnapping, deprivation of liberty, robbery, impersonating an officer and possessing restricted items.

Eglitis' appearance before a Cambodian court could trigger his extradition to Australia.

A statement and photograph of Eglitis and the Hastie have been posted on the Cambodian police website.

Hastie is understood to be from Dunedin.

His Facebook page lists him as a director at Conarch-Construction Management & Architectural Consultants in Siem Reap.