Detectives are investigating a robbery involving a businessman who was followed and robbed of Sh1.7 million shortly after withdrawing the money from a bank along Mombasa Road, Nairobi.
On August 1, the businessman reported to police that he had withdrawn the cash and driven to his home in Syokimau, where the robbery occurred. The gang, who had trailed him for nearly five kilometers, broke into his car and stole the money from the boot.
The suspects, who had been monitoring the victim at the bank, followed him to his apartment. After the businessman entered his home, the gang broke into his car and seized the cash. The robbery was captured on security cameras both at the bank and the apartment.
The victim had been in the bank’s queue along Mombasa Road, where one of the suspects, also seen on CCTV in Syokimau, was waiting in line. Once the victim withdrew the money and placed it in his car’s boot, the suspects followed him. They waited until he entered his apartment before breaking into the car.
No injuries were reported, and the victim realized the theft shortly afterward. Athi River DCI head Wesley Kiprotich mentioned that they are following strong leads in the case and noted that the car used in the robbery had fake number plates. Police are investigating the scene and the bank as part of their inquiry.
No arrests or recoveries have been made in this case, and police report that this is the latest in a series of similar incidents in the area. Preliminary investigations suggest that the robbery may have been an inside job.
Police have issued a warning to the public about carrying large sums of money, noting that victims are often followed from the bank to their homes or workplaces, where they are then robbed or assaulted.
Officials highlight that not all customers and bank staff are trustworthy. Some thieves pose as customers to identify individuals making large withdrawals, then alert their accomplices outside the bank.
The police believe that the criminal network involved in these incidents includes bank employees, law enforcement officers, and other robbers. These criminals are equipped with firearms, handcuffs, and possibly police radios, and use various vehicles to facilitate their operations.
