- Police have, however, cautioned all citizens to ensure their own safety first while caught up in armed robberies.
- In another case on July 9, a brave shopkeeper fought off three AK-47-wielding robbers and disarm them in Korogocho, Nairobi.
Image: STAR
Two women have recovered two firearms stolen from authorities in separate incidents.
A third weapon was recovered by a male shopkeeper.
All incidents occurred during attempted robberies.
The DCI said, “As a thorough probe into how the firearms ended up in the hands of criminal gangs kicks in, the DCI commends the two women for their bravery and for joining in the fight to sanitise the streets of gangsters and illegal arms," the DCI said.
DCI said two AK-47s were recovered in Ndhiwa on July 13 and one in Korogocho, Nairobi, on July 9
The other G3 rifle was recovered in Transzoia on May 27.
On Thursday at around 11.30pm, a man armed with an AK-47 raided a home in Nyawiso village, Ndhiwa in Homa Bay county.
Police said a businesswoman had just arrived home after closing her shop in Ndhiwa town when a lone gunman, also armed with a knife, struck.
The woman got hold of the gun while screaming and managed to overpower the robber who then escaped, dropping the firearm.
Members of the public and police officers responded and it was established the firearm loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition had been stolen from an AP constable from of Ndhiwa Critical Infrastructure Police Unit.
Police have, however, cautioned all citizens to ensure their own safety first while caught up in armed robberies.
In another case on July 9, a shopkeeper fought off three AK-47 rifle-wielding robbers and managed to disarm n Korogocho, Nairobi.
The firearm loaded with ninerounds of ammunition was later found to belong to the Kenya Police Service.
Police said a gang of three men, one armed with an AK-47 and others with crude weapons, raided Highridge area of Korogocho at around 11pm.
They started robbing shop owners including one who was robbed of Sh15,000. Another victim was robbed of Sh28,000, a mobile phone and a wrist watch.
The gang proceeded to the next shop but the shopkeeper resisted, resulting in a fierce fight. He sustained multiple stab wounds but managed to disarm the three of the rifle.
He was rushed to hospital in critical condition.
The other recovery of government firearm was reported in Transzoia West at Lions area on May 27 when a lone robber armed with a loaded G3 rifle accosted a man and his wife as they opened their shop at 6am.
The woman confronted the gunman and dodged four bullets aimed at her.
Police said she overpowered the robber who also escaped, leaving behind the rifle loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition behind.
The G3 had been robbed from a Kitale Medium Prison officer at the Kitale Referral Hospital on April 19 this year while he was guarding a sick prisoner.
Dozens of police firearms have disappeared this year, mostly der unclear circumstances.
On July 5, four rifles and a total of 110 rounds of ammunition were reported missing from Griftu police station armoury in Wajir Westsubcounty.
Three AK-47s, one G3, 90 rounds of ammunition for AK-47s and 20 rounds for G3s were found missing but the armoury was not broken into.
As a result, the OCS Griftu and the amourer were arrested as investigations continue.
In another case on June 13, four robbery suspects were shot dead at Mkwajuni along Mombasa-Kilifi road and one of the AK-47s rifles stolen from officers during the July 2021 Equity Matuu Branch raid recovered.
In November last year, police also arrested the mastermind of a daring attack on a police station in Homa Bay where four police firearms and over 100 rounds of ammunition were stolen.
In the attack at Kipasi police post in Mbita on the night of November 16, an unknown number of thugs broke into the station’s armoury under unclear circumstances. They took off with the firearms, including three G3s, one AK-47 and 110 rounds of ammunition.