Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a 15-year-old suspect in connection to the spate of armed robberies in Nairobi.
In a statement, DCI stated that prior to his arrest, the suspect engaged detectives in a running battle along the Southern Bypass and inside the Nairobi National park while he was attempting to evade arrest.
DCI reported that rangers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) joined the chase and cornered the suspect after a long-running battle across the park. He was then handed over to the duty officer.
"The juvenile was arrested after a 6-kilometre chase along the Southern Bypass and inside the Nairobi National park, after he threw caution to the wind and jumped into the park to evade arrest," DCI stated.
"Rangers from the Kenya Wildlife Service who had watched the chase from the top of their surveillance vehicles came to their aid. Moments later, the teenager who had taken cover at a thicket approximately 200 metres from the perimeter spotted the fast-approaching Rangers," DCI added.
Upon interrogation, the suspect who hails from Kibera's Lindi area led the officers to a hideout where he keeps the knife he uses to stab his victims before robbing them of their valuables.
Police also established that the suspect was behind a recent robbery incident where a victim lost a phone (iPhone 13 Promax) among other valuables on November 2, near South-C along the bypass.
Detectives have called upon members of the public to assist relevant authorities with any information regarding criminal gangs lurking in their areas, detectives urged them to share the details of suspects anonymously.
Meanwhile, the suspect is currently in police custody pending arraignment in court.
"The juvenile is currently in custody being processed for arraignment. We thank the two KWS rangers William Katana and Hilary Kimutai, for their quick action leading to the arrest of the suspect," DCI wrote.
Similar incident
The latest comes amidst a spate of robberies witnessed in Nairobi. Residents have decried the resurgence of armed criminal gangs stabbing their victims before fleeing with their valuables.
Amidst the concerns, police on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, arrested a notorious gang leader behind M-Pesa shop attacks in Nairobi.
John Mutiso Makau alias Katitu was arrested after a three-kilometre chase in Kayole. According to police, Katitu returned from Somalia where he underwent combat and martial arts training.
"The suspect believed to be a returnee from the Alshabaab militia in Somalia was arrested after a dramatic chase in Nairobi’s Kayole estate, pitting detectives from the elite Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, backed up by a contingent of officers from Kayole police division," DCI said in a statement.
"In the 48-hour meticulously planned operation, detectives had prior to Katitu’s arrest rounded up two of his accomplices Brian Wambua Mbindyo and Danson Musyoka Mulee," DCI added.
The operation was led by Chief Inspector Gicharu (real name withheld).
"Hadn’t the lead investigator Chief Inspector Gicharu (real name withheld) outpaced the miscreant in the sweltering afternoon heat, the thug believed to have received combat and martial arts training in neighbouring Somalia, would have detoured to one of the dingy lanes in Kayole’s matopeni settlement and disappeared from the detectives’ sight," DCI stated.
They added: "However, Gicharu, who has spent most of his career chasing after armed city thugs and has as a result received the head of state commendation, disembarked from their vehicle and went after Katitu breathing down his neck with determination, before finally pouncing on him after a 3-kilometre chase,"
The detectives were in hot pursuit of the suspect after a gruesome murder of a man in Donholm.
