Terror strikes Nairobi residents in wave of robberies

Police are on the lookout for a gang involved in hijacking motorists and forcing them to reveal their ATM card PINs.

On Thursday night, the gang carjacked about eight motorists, stole three vehicles and also shot and seriously injured one person.

Nairobi PPO Moses Ombati on Friday said that initial investigations had revealed that the gang was operating from Mariguini slum in Industrial area and were yet to be tracked down.

Mr Ombati held a crisis meeting on Friday morning with Makadara OCPD Thomas Atuti, Embakasi OCPD Akello Odhiambo and Langata OCPD Titus Yoma, whose areas have been greatly hit by the crime wave.

On Thursday night, five armed men attacked Kalekye Kyalo and Lucy Radoli at the gate of their residence in Akiba estate.

They were robbed Sh6,000 before being driven to an ATM site in Embakasi where they were forced to withdraw money from their accounts. They also transferred Sh17,000 from Radoli’s Mpesa account.

The thugs also trailed a Subaru Forester to Syokimau but did not manage to block the occupant man at his residential gate.

The thugs drove back toward Nairobi along Mombasa road where blocked a Toyota Prado with three occupants, and robbed them of cash and their ATM cards.

They forced them to reveal the ATM card PINs but one of the occupants, Mr Erick Mureithi, refused prompting the thugs to shoot him on the stomach.

He is currently admitted at a city hospital and in stable condition. They later abandoned them in Simba estate in Embakasi and drove away with their vehicle.

Two hours later, another man was robbed of his Toyota Prado, Sh28,500 and his Cooperative Bank ATM cards which they later used to withdraw cash from his account.

Mr Kassim Otieno, a resident at Umoja II estate was driving into his residence when he was confronted by five armed thugs. They drove away with the car which police are yet to trace.

Another anchor with the local TV station was also carjacked on Friday morning in Balozi estate as he was driving in his white Subaru Forester.

The thugs robbed him of Sh6,100, a golden ring and two ATM cards. He was later dumped along the Southern by-pass next to the Nairobi National Park at around 2am.

Elsewhere, police in Buruburu are yet to trace a vehicle that was robbed of the owner on Wednesday night in Tena estate.

Mr Peter Mutwiri was driving to his residence when he was attacked by five men, three armed with pistols.

The thugs took him to his house and robbed him of household items including jewelleries valued at Sh1.25million before driving away with his Toyota Allion.