Mombasa County Commissioner Mohamed Noor is urging residents who may have lost money through car break-ins to report to the nearest police station and file official statements following the arrest of nine suspects on Saturday at their hideout in Mtwapa.
Speaking during the 62nd Madaraka Day celebrations, Commissioner Noor confirmed the arrests and emphasised the need for the suspects to be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others. He noted that the criminals primarily targeted locked vehicles parked outside banks, mosques, and shopping malls.
“These suspects would monitor individuals withdrawing large sums of money in bank halls, then follow and rob them in their vehicles,” Noor said.
The police also impounded eight vehicles linked to the syndicate, along with an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspects reportedly used sophisticated gadgets to gain access to the locked cars.
“They sit quietly in bank halls, listening to the sound of cash being counted. They can estimate the amount, whether it’s Sh100,000, Sh200,000 or Sh1,000,000. Pretending to mind their own business, they then alert their accomplices and begin tracking the victims,” explained the Commissioner.
Noor praised the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for dismantling the syndicate, which has also been implicated in cross-border thefts in Tanzania.
“At one point, they couldn’t carry all the Tanzanian currency because it was in large denominations. They brought back what they could, which amounted to Sh15 million after conversion. This is a large network, and we’ve managed to bring them to justice,” he added.
Meanwhile, CC Noor confirmed that since the launch of a massive crackdown on miscreants in September, many have been apprehended and charged with various offences.
“We will intensify our efforts; we have arrested their ringleaders. We will ensure that no criminals will terrorise the residents of Mombasa. Those who are coming for trade and other businesses should know Mombasa is safe,” assured the CC.
He further cautioned the media against sensationalising stories without seeking clarification from the security officials, as the unverified reports will damage the image of the tourist city.
The CC also extolled the residents of Mombasa for enlisting in large numbers in the Taifa Care through the Social Health Authority.
“In terms of registration in the country, we have registered many people. Most of the money from SHA has come to Mombasa,” he said.
On housing, the CC encouraged residents to register on the Boma Yangu platform to own affordable houses that are being constructed by the government.
The CC challenged the residents to take advantage of the ongoing Nyali Affordable Housing Project, which is being constructed at Sh7 billion on a 23-acre piece of prime land.
The one of its kind projects in the Port City will completely change the skyline of the V.O.K area with the 1976 housing units that will be constructed straddling the border of the upmarket Nyali suburb and the Mombasa-Malindi highway.
The housing units will be divided into Social Housing, Affordable Housing and Market. The two-in-one project will have a public and residential side.
The first component of the project is the public side, which will have a commercial centre and a municipal market. Initially, the market was supposed to be an Economic Stimulus Project before it was converted to a municipal market with 1000 stalls.
A level four hospital, an Early Childhood Education Centre (ECDE), and primary and secondary schools will also be constructed.
“You’ll be living in a decent home. The Nyali project is the major one in the entire Coast region. I appeal to the local to seize this opportunity lest they resort to blame games. We will collaborate with local leaders to sensitise people.”
By Sadik Hassan
