Inside story of Kenya's killer gangs

• Security experts say weapons are being smuggled in from war-torn Somalia

The spokesman said police suspect that these crimes are being committed by one gang that is interested in valuables and not vehicles. He says there is always an upsurge in crime after intensive police patrols.

However, security expert and director of the East African School of Security Studies Captain (rtd) Simiyu Werunga says there is a need for the country’s security agents to work in tandem to crackdown on violent crime, especially at a time when criminals are getting weapons from war-torn Somalia.

He says that unlike years gone by, when criminals operated individually or with two accomplices, the current trend involves organised criminal gangs which are more difficult to tackle.

“We have a demoralised police force and bickering politicians who do not seem to realise that the common citizen is suffering. Violent crime is becoming common and should be addressed before it gets out of hand. People should stop politicising security issues and deal with organised criminal gangs,” Capt Werunga says.

The Kenya Police Crime Report and Data for 2008 shows that armed crime has gone up by 37 per cent and is attributable to a high number of illegal arms in civilian hands.