Vehicle vandalism baffles Nyeri Town residents

A new trend of vehicle vandalism has begun taking root in estates around Nyeri Town.

This comes after residents of King’ong’o estate, near the town, woke up on Friday to an alarming sight of four personal vehicles that had most of their parts missing.

Wheels, lights, stereo systems, mirrors and even control knobs had been stolen.

The three saloon cars and a pickup truck had been parked outside an apartment block the previous night.

What was a normal routine for the owners turned disastrous to them after a gang of unknown people vandalised the vehicles in a well-orchestrated operation that has baffled many.

Criminal Investigations officers and other police officers who visited the scene in the morning were also shocked at the clinical nature in which the theft was done.

The criminals had left almost no tangible evidence, including fingerprints.

They had apparently used surgical gloves and left them of the scene as if to mock the officers who would take up the investigations.

“They are very intelligent criminals but we were able to collect some crucial samples so they will not go far,” said Mr Abdi Adan, the Nyeri Central deputy OCPD.

DROPS OF BLOOD

A suspect might have been cut during the operation as some drops of blood were left at the scene.

Residents now fear that if not tackled immediately, this could be the beginning of a long trail of vandalism.

Two minors were last month arrested in Othaya for stealing car parts in a similar manner.

The two boys, aged nine and seven years, were caught by taxi operators at around 10pm as they prepared to steal the pars.

The taxi drivers handed the two to police where they spent an entire night. They are said to have admitted the claims to the police.

Police meanwhile criticised the residents, accusing them of being negligent over the safety of their property.
“People are parking their cars on the roadside outside their residential compounds and leaving them unattended the whole night.

"If we are to stop this, then it has to come from both citizens and police,” added the deputy OCPD.

He called on residents to always ensure that their cars are well guarded when they park them. Investigations into the incident is already ongoing.