Residents of Murang’a town have raised concern over the rate of crime in the central business district, where thugs have lately broken into parked cars with impunity in broad daylight.
Speaking to press, one of the residents, Agnes Wanjiru, narrated how money she had withdrawn from one of the local banks on Monday was later stolen from her car.
Wanjiru who is a nominated Member of County Assembly in Nyeri County, said that she had withdrawn Sh990000 from the bank and kept the money at the backseat of her car as she ran errands in town.
“I kept the money in my car and went about my business in the town but when I got back, I found the rear window had been broken and the money was missing,” she stated.
She said she believes that whoever broke into her car had been trailing her since she withdrew the money from the bank earlier that day
“The thieves broke the window at the exact side where I had kept the money, meaning they had been monitoring every movement I was making,” she said.
“I also think there could have been an insider from the bank because they are the only ones who knew the amount of money I withdrew.” She added.
She noted that several other people have fallen victim and lost huge amounts of money after withdrawing it from the local banks and said she suspected there could be a gang working together with the bankers to set up the clients.
She now wants the police to speed up the investigations and increase their surveillance in the town to deter such criminals.
“I believe there are several CCTV cameras along that street which could have captured the incident and the footage can help in identifying the suspect,” she said.
Uimbia Muritu, a Murang’a business man, lost Sh300,000 shortly after withdrawing it from a bank.
Muritu said he got into a hotel for a cup of tea but getting back to his car the doors were open and the money was gone.
“I still don’t understand how someone figured out that I was carrying the money and followed me to where I packed the vehicle unless I was set up,” Muritu said.
He called upon all business people to install CCTV cameras on their premises noting the cameras will discourage the incidents and help identify the perpetrators.
Murang’a county Police Commander Benjamin Kimwele said the matters that have been reported have been taken up for investigations and called those who have been victims of the break-ins to provide all the related information to the police.
Kimwele, however, cautioned the members of public against withdrawing huge amounts of money without security back up as this exposes them to such attacks.
The police commander also said cases of business people being defrauded of their money have been rampant in the area and stated that four suspects have been arrested and arraigned in court.
By Purity Mugo
