Nakuru and Nyandarua detectives hunt down armed robbers impersonating police officers
Detectives from Nyandarua and Nakuru Counties are hunting down robbers who impersonated police officers at the weekend and made away with valuables and cash estimated at over Sh500,000.
Detectives from Nyandarua and Nakuru Counties are hunting down five criminals who waylaid relatives and friends and robbed them of money and other valuables worth more than Sh500,000 at gunpoint, while pretending they were police officers.
The victims in two private vehicles were coming from a wedding on Saturday evening when the five-member gang in police uniform flagged them down as they drove towards Nakuru from Ngorika Village along the Ol Kalou-Nakuru highway.
“Armed with rifles, the criminals posing as police officers proceeded to inspect the cars. They then jumped in and drove the victims into a forest where they ransacked and robbed them before they escaped using one of the vehicles. The stolen vehicle…was on Sunday evening discovered burnt at Barnabas area in Nakuru County,” said Nyandarua Central DCI boss Eric Ochieng.
“Our officers from Nakuru and Nyandarua are tracing the criminals. We urge the members of the public to alert the police in case they come across someone selling mobile phones, watches, and other electronics suspected to be stolen. The robbery took place at a place called Ithagani area,” added the DCI boss.
He further revealed that during the attack, the criminals took charge of the vehicles pretending they were driving to a police station, but instead drove into a forest.
In the forest, the occupants were ordered to alight and lie down and were robbed of their belongings valued at Sh236,200 and Sh222,900 in cash and M-Pesa transactions.
The criminals tied the victims to the trees before escaping in one of the cars, and police believe they could have tracked the victims for hours before waylaying them.
“It is possible they even attended the wedding or had informers at the wedding,” said a detective investigating the incident.
Among the stolen items from the 10 victims are mobile phones, wrist watches, personal documents including ATM cards, driving licences, a school admission letter, medical insurance cover cards, a Sony camera, and bags containing clothes, among other items and personal effects.
Mr Ochieng said that none of the victims was injured during the attack.
