Police find eight stolen cars in yard in Umoja

Police are looking for a suspect believed to be behind carjackings in the city after eight stolen vehicles were on Monday recovered in his undeveloped land in Umoja.

The vehicles, believed to have either been stolen or robbed of their owners were on Monday found hidden at a well secured plot in Umoja 3, about 50 metres from Kangundo road.

Buruburu OCPD Richard Kerich said they received information that a vehicle that had been stolen in Ruai was seen in at the plot.

“The plot has a concrete perimeter wall but one of the masons working in a four storey building nearby saw the cars. He identified one of them as having been stolen in Ruai last year,” said the OCPD.

This prompted investigations and police raided the place where they found the other vehicles. One of the vehicles’ owner George Kariithi told the police that his vehicle, a black Toyota Celica, was stolen from the parking yard in their residence in Ruai on September 10 last year.

He reported the matter to the police who launched the investigations however, it was never recovered.

On Saturday, he was called by a friend who told him that he had seen the car at an isolated garage in Umoja 3. He reported the matter to the police who accompanied him to the yard.

Police found seven other vehicles suspected to have been stolen. Three of the vehicles had the personal effects of the owners. One of the vehicles, a Toyota Prado, had a fake number plate.

Other vehicles found in the yard include a black Toyota Caldina, Peugeot 405 gold in colour, a white Subaru Leone, and a blue Toyota Wish. Also recovered were a white Nissan Pick-up and a silver Nissan Sunny.

Police say the vehicles appeared to have been stolen elsewhere and hidden at the yard. The Nation established that the owner of the plot was well known by both the police and the residents and was the chairman of a development group within Umoja.

He had earlier promised to report to the police but failed to do so. Later, his phone was switched off.