Gatundu residents raise alarm over church break-ins, theft of instruments

Residents of Njathaini and Gituamba villages in Gatundu North have raised alarm over rampant break-ins in churches and theft of instruments.

The locals claimed that notorious criminals have in the past two weeks invaded about five churches in the villages and stole musical instruments and electronics worth hundreds of thousands.

Some of the churches that have fallen victim include Full Gospel Churches of Kenya, the Anglican Church of Kenya ( ACK), the African Inland Church (AIC) and Seventh Day Adventist.

The locals, who are worshippers in the churches, claimed that a criminal gang targeting the churches has been invading the churches at night, armed with crude weapons to perpetrate their criminal activities.

John Kigotho, the Chairman of ACK church in Njathaini village told journalists on Monday that the criminals broke into the church on the night of Monday last week and made away with a piano and water dispenser worth Sh94,000.

“I was alerted by another church member that a glass on the church door had been broken. I rushed there but found that it had been broken into and the items stolen. This has shocked us and it is a huge loss to the church,” he said.

Kigotho called on authorities in Gatundu North to shut down the liquor joint saying that it has been harbouring criminals who terrorize the locals at night.

“All we want is the bar to be shut. This is where the notorious youths who have turned criminals are hiding,”  Kigotho said.

At AIC church in Gituamba village, elder Francis Ndung'u said that the criminals broke three doors to gain entry into the church before escaping with two guitars valued at Sh70,000.

At Full Gospel Church in Njathaini village, the thugs were unlucky as the church members had already stored their instruments in a safe place outside the church after word reached them of the break-in incidences.

Peter Githua and Anastacia Njeri, who are members of the church, said that they had already moved their valuables a day before the criminals broke into the church through a window.

“We are now forced to store the electronics and instruments in a home because they are not safe in the church. The area security personnel must wake up from their slumber and restore sanity in our villages by smoking out all culprits,” Githua said.

The locals called on the area authorities to beef up security by enhancing night patrols to stem the vice.

They also called for thorough investigations and arrests of the culprits.

Geoffrey Ng'ang'a of ACK also called on the Authorities to dismantle the cartel targeting church resources saying that there's a likelihood that there's a ready market for the instruments and electronics.