Detectives in Ruiru, Kiambu County, are investigating the theft of Sh1.2 million that was stolen from a vehicle parked in the basement of an apartment building in the Kihunguro area.
Police said the incident was reported on Saturday evening by a manager of a microfinance institution operating in the area.
According to police, the man had withdrawn the cash from a local bank in Kamakis branch at around 12:45 pm before placing the money in an envelope and storing it in the boot of his Toyota Mark X.
He later drove to his office and parked the vehicle in the basement parking area of the apartment complex.
Police said he briefly left the car and proceeded to his office.
Upon returning, he discovered that unknown individuals had tampered with the vehicle’s door locks, gained access to the boot and stolen the Sh1.2 million.
Police officers visited the scene and confirmed signs of interference with the vehicle’s locking system.
The building is fitted with CCTV surveillance cameras, but investigators were unable to immediately review the footage because the security officer responsible for accessing the system was unavailable at the time.
Police have launched investigations into the theft, with detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Ruiru leading the probe.
Authorities are expected to review the CCTV footage and pursue other leads to identify and apprehend those behind the daring daytime theft.
The police suspect an inside job in the incident. This is the latest such incident to happen amid police investigations.
Last week, armed criminals made away with Sh1.7 million and several mobile phones from a Safaricom agent in Athi River, Machakos County.
The agent operating within the Devki area of Ngimu Location, had closed her business at around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday and headed home accompanied by her employee, in a silver Toyota Fielder.
Upon arriving at the main gate of their residential court in Ngimu Estate, the woman noticed that the person opening the gate was not the regular watchman.
However, she proceeded into the compound and drove towards her residence.
As her employee alighted to ring the doorbell, two men armed with a firearm suddenly emerged and confronted Mutua, demanding money.
The robbers stole Sh1.7 million in cash and several mobile phones, including Huawei, Xiaomi and Smart handsets, before fleeing the scene.
Preliminary investigations established that the gang had overpowered the compound’s watchman and a caretaker before the robbery.
The two were reportedly tied up, allowing the suspects to gain access to the premises undetected.
No injuries were reported during the incident. Police have launched investigations to identify and apprehend the suspects, with detectives exploring the possibility that the attackers may have had prior knowledge of the victim’s movements and the cash she was carrying.
The robbery adds to growing concerns over targeted attacks against mobile money agents and business operators handling large amounts of cash. Teams of police are investigating the incidents.
