Owner of stolen ‘Fielder’ found in Kasarani speaks out

By Brian Muchiri (@brayan_muchiri).

Imagine waking up in the morning to go to work, and as you head to the parking lot, you discover that your car is missing.

That is what happened to one Gerald Genga, whose vehicle -- a Toyota Fielder model -- was stolen at his home in Kariobangi South in Nairobi on Thursday morning, July 4.

“Every week day, I usually drop my 13-year-old daughter to school,” Genga told K24 Digital.

“So, on this Thursday morning, my daughter leaves the house and goes to the parking lot to wait for me -- as she always does.

“Not even a minute later, she returns to the house and asks me whether I had come home with the car the previous night.”

In immediate disbelief -- that his car could have been stolen --, Genga hurriedly went outside the house to confirm his daughter’s revelation.

“Upon reaching the parking lot, I confirmed my worst fears -- the car was nowhere to be seen,” he narrated.

“I was confused! I went back to the house and even did the unimaginable -- looked for the car under the table,” said Genga.

The middle-aged man said after reality sunk in, he went to file a report at Buruburu Police Station, but was directed to go and record the statement at Dandora Police Post, given Kariobangi South falls under Dandora jurisdiction.

Genga said he did as he was directed, and was clinging on to hope that police would manage to find his car.

“It was such a distressing ordeal. I would not want anyone to go through what I was subjected to,” said the father of two, adding: “It has never crossed my mind that, maybe, one day my car would be stolen. Until my ordeal, I only watched such happenings in movies.”

Genga reveals that his vehicle had no tracking system, and that he relied on a power cut-out and the vehicle’s alarm device to ward off thieves.

His vehicle was parked in an apartment that has a parking basement. The residence is, however, not guarded.

As lucky as he may get, Genga’s vehicle was recovered barely 24 hours later in Kasarani.

A Twitter user, @Ricckyspence_, who claims to be Genga’s son, had on Thursday, July 4, taken to the micro-blogging site to ask users to help him find his dad’s missing car.

Riccky tagged the DCI and the National Police Service in his tweet, which received over 500 engagements.

-GENGA’S CAR FOUND-

Three suspected thugs, who allegedly stole Genga’s car of registration plate number KBX 441N, were on Friday morning shot dead in a fierce exchange of gunfire with police officers at Marurui area in Kasarani.

Police told K24 Digital that the suspects used a black sellotape and modified the number 1 on the registration plate to a 4 – so, the plate number — after the makeshift modification — read KBX 444N.

The suspects were approaching Marurui, when police flagged them down, but they disobeyed the law enforcement officers; instead, drawing a gun and shooting at the cops.

One of the police officers was shot in the knee.

A fierce exchange of gunfire ensued thereafter, leading to the fatal shooting of the suspected criminals.

An AK47 rifle and several rounds of ammunition were recovered from the deceased.

The suspects’ bodies were moved to City mortuary.

Kasarani DCIO, Meme Mwenda, confirmed the incident, saying investigations into the incident have begun.

Genga was elated that it did not take long for police to recover his vehicle.

On Friday morning, after receiving news that his car had been found, Genga went to Kasarani Police Station to follow up on the matter.

He hopes the vehicle’s insurer would help repair the parts, including doors, which were damaged during the ugly shoot-out.