Three young men were on Wednesday morning May 22, 2024, shot and killed by police after snatching a mobile phone from a pedestrian in the South B area of Nairobi.
The suspects, all under 25 years old, were riding a motorcycle when they stole the phone from a female pedestrian near the Car and General area around 6:30 a.m.
Following the theft, police quickly disseminated the suspects' details, prompting a rapid and coordinated response.
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Officers on patrol soon encountered the suspects and, after a brief confrontation, opened fire, killing all three at close range, according to witnesses.
Nairobi police chief Adamson Bungei confirmed the incident, noting that the group had been implicated in a series of attacks and robberies in the area before the fatal encounter.
The bodies of the suspects were transported to the mortuary for autopsy and identification.
Chief Bungei highlighted a troubling increase in crimes involving suspects using motorcycles to facilitate quick getaways after committing robberies.
"We have mobilized teams to profile the gangs behind this trend," he said.
The police chief's remarks indicate a broader strategy aimed at dismantling organized groups that have been exploiting the mobility provided by motorcycles to evade capture.
Thieves on motorbike
The incident underscores the escalating challenges faced by law enforcement in Nairobi as they grapple with a rise in opportunistic street crimes.
There has been a rise in theft cases where victims are robbed by motorbike rider and their pillion passenger (s).
Recently, YouTuber Fredrick Marwa's mzungu girlfriend Rocio Cabrera was robbed in broad daylight in Upper Hill by a motorbike rider.
Marwa and his girlfriend were strolling in Nairobi's Upper Hill area on a Sunday, April 14, 2024, when a boda boda rider appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her handbag before he sped off.
The daring robbery was caught on camera as the YouTuber was recording at the time of the incident.
The video shows Cabrera walking with the handbag on her shoulder before the rider appeared from a junction, grabbed the handbag and sped off.