Police in Nairobi have shot and killed a suspected mobile phone thief following a failed robbery in the Mirema area of Kasarani.
According to police reports, the incident occurred on Saturday evening along Mirema Road when two suspects riding on a motorcycle allegedly attempted to snatch a pedestrian’s mobile phone.
The victim, a woman, reportedly screamed for help, drawing the attention of police officers who were on patrol nearby.
The officers responded swiftly, intercepting the suspects.
Police said the motorcycle rider was fatally shot during the confrontation, while his accomplice managed to escape on foot.
A mobile phone believed to have been stolen moments earlier was recovered from the deceased suspect.
The motorcycle used in the attempted robbery was towed to Kasarani Police Station for further examination, while the body was moved to the city mortuary pending identification and a post-mortem examination.
Police say the incident underscores the ongoing challenge of mobile phone snatching in various parts of the capital.
Such cases have been on the rise despite continuous crackdowns targeting street criminals and illegal phone dealers.
Investigators note that some of the stolen phones end up in the hands of unsuspecting buyers, who later find themselves in trouble for handling stolen property.
Others are reportedly dismantled or refurbished before being resold locally or smuggled into neighbouring countries.
A team of detectives based in Kasarani and other city divisions has intensified operations against the syndicates believed to be behind the vice.
Several suspects have been arrested and arraigned in court in recent months, police said.
In a related development, police in Githurai 44, Nairobi, have launched investigations into the death of a woman who collapsed and died along Kiangiciri Road on Saturday.
Witnesses said the woman, who had a visible fresh wound on her leg, fell by the roadside and was pronounced dead at the scene after an ambulance crew responded to distress calls.
The cause of the injury and the exact circumstances leading to her death remain unclear.
Her body was taken to the mortuary for identification and autopsy as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, in Kilifi County, police are probing the mysterious death of a woman whose skeletal remains were discovered in a thicket in Ngerenya.
Family members identified the remains through the clothes the woman had been wearing before she went missing on May 23, 2025.
The cause of death has not yet been established, though detectives say they are exploring possible foul play.
The remains were moved to the Kilifi County mortuary for post-mortem examination as investigations continue.
Police have expressed concern over a growing number of homicide cases, particularly those targeting the elderly, in the region.
