Police are holding four suspects linked to the theft of Ksh300,000 from a parked car in Lodwar, Turkana County.
In a statement, the National Police Service (NPS) said the suspects were arrested on Tuesday, December 19, after NPS officers based in Lodwar Police Station and their colleagues from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) intercepted a getaway vehicle at Sopel along Lodwar-Kitale Highway.
The suspects were identified as Stephen Kamire, Erick Odhiambo, Raphael Ndeda Otieno, and Emmanuel Okoth.
"Also recovered from the vehicle KDJ 496 Toyota Ractus, was Ksh.300,000, 4 smartphones, 8 SIM cards, and 3 button phones," NPS said.
"Preliminary investigations suggest that the money was stolen from a parked car."
POLICE ARREST 4 SUSPECTS, RECOVER CASH STOLEN FROM A LOCKED CAR IN LODWAR pic.twitter.com/Fd0enohEM6
— National Police Service-Kenya (@NPSOfficial_KE) December 19, 2023
The matter, police said, is under investigation by DCI Turkana Central.
The arrests come amid increased car break-ins in various parts of the country.
Last month, DCI unveiled the identities of notorious thugs who were captured in CCTV cameras stealing from locked cars in Nairobi.
The suspects included 42-year-old Amos Odera Audo who was ambushed at his Kaloleni hideout around the City Stadium in Nairobi.
"Odera was arraigned at Kibera Law Courts and charged with stealing from a locked motor vehicle, whereby he was released on a Ksh500,000 bond," DCI wrote.
Another suspect identified as John Musiyo Mbingu was also arrested at a Kibera court where he was appearing for a hearing in a similar car-breaking charge. However, he disappeared after seeking bail for treatment.
"While Amos Odera remained in police cells following custodial orders, Musiyo was released on police bail to seek medication but disappeared. A warrant of his arrest has since been issued."
According to DCI, the notorious syndicate targets cars in various high-end spots as well as parking lots outside supermarkets or banks.
"The separate syndicates mostly targeted shoppers' vehicles at supermarket parking spaces, bank customers withdrawing huge sums of cash, and other motorists in whose vehicles items of value such as laptops, tablets and expensive smartphones could be seen from outside," DCI stated.
The suspects, DCI said, use catapults and spark plugs to break car windows and to maser car door locks.
