Armed gang steals 130 bags of coffee in Tharaka-Nithi

Police officers at Chiku Coffee Factory in Tharaka-Nithi County where at least fifteen armed gangsters stole 130 bags of clean coffee worth at least Sh4 million on July 8, 2018. PHOTO | ALEX NJERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • They ambushed a night watchman shortly after midnight, tied his hands with a rope and took away his phone.
  • He said the gang was not in hurry as they spent approximately two hours loading the coffee.
  • Rukindu Chief Fredrick Gitonga condemned the incident and asked police to conduct thorough investigations.

At least fifteen armed gangsters on Saturday night raided Chiku Coffee Factory in Tharaka-Nithi County and stole 130 bags of clean coffee worth at least Sh4 million.

They ambushed a night watchman shortly after midnight, tied his hands with a rope and took away his phone before breaking into the store.

Mr Ephantus Gitari, the watchman, said he spent about five hours in one of the stores where he had been tied.

ARMED WITH GUNS

He told police that the thieves were armed with guns, pangas, axes and other crude weapons that they used to break the store’s padlock in order to gain entry.

“My colleague had just left when the gangs entered the factory, got hold of me, tied me with a rope, took away my phone and Sh500 that I had in the pocket,” said Mr Gitari.

He added that the men carried the bags out of the stores and loaded them into a vehicle that was parked a few meters away.

He said the gang was not in hurry as they spent approximately two hours comfortably loading the bags into the vehicle.

“I only realised that I was tied inside one of the store when my colleague came in the morning because they immediately put off lights when they arrived,” he said.

CONDEMNED INCIDENT

Rukindu Chief Fredrick Gitonga condemned the incident and asked police to conduct thorough investigations. He at the same time pleaded with the residents to give any information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects.

Mr Johnson Kimathi, a farmer, also asked the police to make sure that the suspects are arrested, charged and the stolen coffee recovered.

“This is a big loss to the poor farmers who struggle a lot producing coffee that is facing a lot of challenges in the market,” said Mr Kimathi.