Detectives in Kibwezi have recovered 418 bags of rice suspected to have been stolen while en route to Nairobi from Mombasa.
The lorry transporting the rice was intercepted by a five-man gang in the Thange area.
The heist unfolded when the Isuzu FRR lorry’s 46-year-old driver slowed down at a bumpy section of the road. The gang managed to gain entry into the driver’s cabin, assaulted him, tied him up, and threw him out of the vehicle before driving off with the consignment. The lorry was transporting 522 bags of rice, each weighing 25kg.
A local motorcyclist found the driver shivering in the cold and transported him to the Machinery Police Post, where he reported the theft. The driver’s report sparked a coordinated effort among police forces along the Nairobi-Mombasa corridor. The Director of Operations at DCI Headquarters and his Coast counterpart mobilized teams in Kibwezi to pursue the suspects, following crucial leads from community tip-offs.
Their efforts paid off when the lorry, missing 106 bags of rice, was found abandoned near Manyanga shopping center and subsequently taken to Kibwezi Police Station.
Later, three suspects, including a police officer, were arrested a few kilometers away. The officer, armed with a Scorpion firearm and in full uniform, was found in a salon car with two civilians. They were allegedly waiting to transport the stolen bags of rice.
Bodaboda riders informed police that the same car had been involved in previous attacks on lorry drivers. This incident highlights the ongoing issue of highway robberies, where gangs frequently target lorries transporting goods. These gangs often move with spare lorries and small cars to facilitate the transportation of stolen items.
In response, police have formed specialized units to pursue these gangs, which are also active on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway. The arrests and recovery of the rice underscore the importance of community policing and coordinated law enforcement efforts in combating highway robberies.
