A gang of four livestock thieves narrowly escaped lynching after they were cornered in Lari, Kiambu county, on Tuesday morning.
The thugs escaped on foot but the angry mob torched their vehicle.
The gang steals domestic animals at night in villages near Soko Mjinga area which borders Kiambu and Nyandarua counties. They then slaughter the animals.
On Tuesday, they raided the home of Gitahi Mwaura and stole his cow.
Mwaura woke up at about 4am to milk the cow but found it missing from the shed.
“I was so shocked when I missed my cow. It is worth Sh150,000,” Mwaura said.
He called neighbours and requested that they help him locate the cow.
“We roamed the village and found it being slaughtered. We started screaming and attacking the gang. Residents came out in large numbers. The thugs were cornered but they managed to escaped into the dark,” resident James Muiruri said.
Residents then set ablaze the Toyota Fielder car in which the gang had placed some meat.
Muiruri said cases of livestock theft have risen in the area. He asked police to investigate the incidents.
“We ask the police to arrest the car owner. He will shed more light on who steals, who had the car that night, their accomplices, and probably where they sell the meat,” Muiruri said.
Lari subcounty police commander Stephen Kirui said the case was being investigated by officers from Magumu police station. The station is located in Nyandarua county.
“The case is being investigated by our colleagues from Magumu since the theft has been committed in their area,” Kirui said.
However, the police boss has asked locals to keep them informed. He said they had intensified patrols as a strategy to eliminate livestock theft.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
