Police in Nairobi have launched an investigation after a motorist lost his gun at a Hurligham carwash.
The owner of the gun told police that he had taken his car to be cleaned but when he returned he found his pistol which was loaded with 15 bullets missing.
The motorist who is a civilian licenced firearm holder told police he had left the gun in the car but he found it missing.
“He said that when he left his car to the attendants on Tuesday afternoon, his Ceska pistol was in the car but when he came back, he checked for the weapon but it was missing,” a police report read in part.
Police later visited the yard and interrogated the attendants, but no arrests were made.
Police said that a search for the missing weapon is ongoing as they fear it could be used to commit crimes.
In October 2023, a patron at a popular club in Milimani, Nairobi left his gun in a toilet.
According to the police, the owner of the gun believed to be a licensed firearm holder, visited CJ’s Restaurant at Ola Petrol Station along Argwings Kodhek Road in Yaya Centre and after a visit to the restroom, the individual inadvertently left behind a Steyr C9-A2 MF pistol loaded with 16 bullets, which was found resting on the cistern.
The firearm was found moments after the owner had exited both the restroom and the restaurant, causing panic among witnesses, who promptly alerted the police.
Restaurant management contacted the authorities, who arrived at the scene and took custody of the firearm.
Detectives who arrived at the scene said they were going to trace the owner for grilling for further action. There were fears the weapon could have fallen into the wrong hands.
Safekeeping of such weapons is key in having a civilian issued with a permit to own a gun.
The rules say the weapons should be in the sight of the owner or a safe in the house all the time.
