Cattle thieves are using fake receipts to move stolen cows and evade arrest. A thief was recently arrested with a stolen cow and 50 fake receipts bearing the logo of the Siaya government.
Nyabeda senior assistant chief Tom Aruwa urged residents to be on high alert to beat the thieves at their own game. He asked residents to take photos of their cows for easy identification.
Aruwa said there has been an increase in burglaries. He accused boda boda operators of helping to transport stolen goods. Aruwa said the provincial administration will step up patrols to arrest and prosecute operators who will be found working at night.
The area security team has in two weeks arrested seven suspected cattle thieves and recovered 20 stolen animals on the Muhoroni-Nandi border.
Muhoroni deputy county commissioner Kipkech Lotiatia said they have intensified patrols along the borders. He praised the Nyumba Kumi initiative, saying they obtained crucial information that led to the arrest of the thieves on the Nandi-Muhorini border.
Lotiatia was speaking to the Star last Wednesday after chairing a cross-border peace committee meeting. He urged wananchi not to be scared of divulging information to the police.
Lotiatia said thieves from Nyanza collude with their accomplices from the Rift valley. He said patrols will be intensified over Christmas.