- Police statistics show up to ten violent crimes are reported in major urban areas and the attackers are bold in their missions.
- This has prompted protests in some places with residents calling for action to stop the trend.
Image: The Star
Two people were Thursday robbed of more than Sh2.6 million in two separate robbery incidents in Nairobi.
Police say they have registered a high number of violent crimes in the past few days in a worrying trend.
The first victim who was attacked was an Mpesa agent and was robbed of Sh800,000 along Ojijo Road in Parklands.
The woman was walking on the road at about 4 pm when a motorcyclist and pillion pulled next to her and snatched an envelope she had containing the money, she told police.
She screamed for help in vain as the gang rode off towards Westland's direction.
Police say they suspect the gang had prior information the woman was taking the money to a bank and that a hunt for the suspects is ongoing.
In a separate incident, one Vanash Brachu told police he was violently carjacked and robbed of Sh1.8 million.
Brachu, 33, is a director of a private hospital in Ruiru. He said he was driving in his Mercedes Benz car at about 1 pm along Forest Lane when he was blocked by a blue Subaru with three gunmen. He did not manage to record its registration numbers.
The gunmen forced him into their car and handcuffed him and drove up to Safaripark area where they robbed him of the money and a mobile phone dumped him there.
He told police he took a taxi to his house in Parklands and later changed his sim card before going to report the matter.
This is because he was still traumatised.
Police said he was not injured and a probe into the incident is ongoing. The cops are reviewing CCTV footage on the roads the gang used in ferrying their target to the place he was dumped as part of the probe.
These are the latest such incidents to happen in the city as police say the crime wave is on the rise.
The attackers use motorcycles to strike and police want victims to cooperate.
Police statistics show up to ten violent crimes are reported in major urban areas and the attackers are bold in their missions.
This has prompted protests in some places with residents calling for action to stop the trend.
The attacks come in the wake of increased deployment of undercover detectives in the city, as police take steps to destabilize criminal gangs that regroup after the general election.
Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin says he is committed to dealing with all manners of crimes without favour and in strict conformity with the provisions of the law.
He said they have mobilized resources to address the menace and warned those behind the same their days are numbered.