Police in Murang’a seize lorry with coffee stolen from factory
The lorry which was seized by police in Murang'a on August 2, 2018 as it transported coffee worth Sh3 million which had been stolen from Ndugamano Coffee Factory in Kigumo Constituency. The occupants fled and are being sought by police. PHOTO | NDUNG'U GACHANE
What you need to know:
- The officers acted after guards raised the alarm after armed robbers stormed the factory.
- The AP boss said they suspect that the theft was an inside job, given that there has been leadership wrangles at the factory.
- He noted that the thieves only targeted grade one coffee and not grade two.
Police in Murang’a have seized a lorry transporting coffee valued at Sh3 million which had been stolen from Ndugamano Coffee Factory in Kigumo Constituency.
According to Kigumo Sub-County Administration Police Commander Samuel Kombe, the officers acted after guards raised the alarm after armed robbers stormed the factory.
When police arrived at the factory, the thieves sped off with 15 sacks of coffee leaving behind another 27 sacks outside the factory gate.
The police boss said they pursued the suspects and alerted their counterparts at Maragua Police Station who managed to block the road and stop the lorry.
SUSPECTS FLEE
However, the suspects and the driver jumped from the lorry and fled.
“When the suspects knew they have been cornered, they abandoned the lorry and escaped. The search for the suspects has begun,” Mr Kombe said noting that they are pursuing about 20 people who were seen by the guards at the factory.
The AP boss said they suspect that the theft was an inside job, given that there has been leadership wrangles at the factory where coffee farmers are set to hold a special general meeting on August 9 to oust the current office bearers, a move he said may have triggered the theft.
GRADE ONE COFFEE
He noted that the fact that thieves only targeted grade one coffee and not grade two was another indication that the people behind the theft were well conversant with the factory.
“We shall not leave any stone unturned [until we get] the culprits and arraign them in court for stealing what belongs to farmers [who] toil and moil only for their sweat to be taken advantage of by a few greedy individuals,” the AP boss said.
He noted that this not the first time theft is happening, noting that last year, another theft was foiled after guards raised the alarm, forcing the thieves to abandon their mission.
Mr Kombe said the latest incident happened between 2am and 3am Thursday.
