A suspect is helping police unmask the identities of the armed thugs who were caught on CCTV cameras entering a residential house in a gated community in Rongai and robbing a woman in the wee hours of Sunday night.
The suspect, whose identity has not been released is suspected to be a member of the five-man gang that attacked the woman as soon as she entered her compound at Manchester Close in Kanidisi and stole her handbag, phone, and other valuables and demanded her PINs.
The suspect was arrested on Monday by detectives after withdrawing Sh240,000 from an M-Pesa shop at Mwiki in Kasarani, Nairobi.
Also arrested is the agent of the M-Pesa shop for allowing the suspect to conduct the transaction.
In the 2am incident that was captured on CCTV and has since gone viral, a house help of the home is seen walking towards the gate to let her employer into the compound but as soon as the car enters, she sees armed men approaching from behind and runs to hide.
The robbers, who are armed with an AK-47 gun, a pistol and a machete and torches, approach the owner and order the woman to open her car windows but she declines.
One of them then smashes the driver’s window using a machete and they steal from her before forcing her out of the vehicle and into the house where they steal other valuables and stash them into a black backpack before leaving.
The incident is the latest in a series of robbery incidents that have been happening in the area in recent weeks, prompting a visit by Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai on Monday.
The two assured locals of heightened security and sent a special unit led by a senior superintendent of police to collaborate with local officers to address the issue.
The unit’s initial tasks will include reviewing the CCTV footage and quelling insecurity in the area.
Crime scene officers have since dusted the home as part of the ongoing investigations.
In the meeting, officers were directed to report all criminal activities happening in the area in the Occurrence Book and forward the same to Nairobi every morning.
Bars and spirit joints operating between Kandisi and Rimpa stage were banned as it is purely a residential area even as residents were urged to share information that will lead to the arrest of the suspects.
On Monday, the National Police Service condemned the incident and assured the locals that the culprits were being sought.
“Our sympathies go out to the innocent lady, her family and friends. We request all persons with any information that may assist in this investigation to report to the nearest police station, post or through our toll-free numbers 999,112 and 0800 722 203,” a statement from NPS said.
