Carjacking gang terrorising cab drivers in Kiambu arrested

 

A five-member gang that has terrorised taxi operators leaving them devastated and with no means of livelihood, have been arrested.

The vicious gang had been operating between Githurai, Ruiru and Kirigiti in Kiambu targetting Little Cab drivers.

DCI Director George Kinoti said the group are so organized that one of them poses like the usual cab passenger but once inside the cab, he squeezes the driver’s neck from the back seat and commandeers the car to a secluded area where his accomplices join him.

"The driver is then robbed of his valuables after being assaulted and his vehicle vandalized," he said.

Kinoti said in one such instance, on February 10th, one of the thugs using a fake identity requested to be taken to Kirigiti from Githurai Kimbo, to allegedly pick his ailing mother.

"The unsuspecting cab driver set off for the journey but on reaching Kirigiti where they were supposed to pick an ailing woman, a male adult emerged and entered the vehicle instead. The vehicle was then commandeered to Sasisni coffee bushes where three more thugs emerged," he said.

The robbers then vandalised the vehicle making away with the headlights, taillights, side mirrors, mirror switches, car battery and the spare wheel.

"No sooner had detectives completed their investigations on this incident, than the gang carjacked two other cab drivers in a similar fashion, robbing them of their valuables before vandalising their vehicles and abandoning them in Mwihoko, Githurai," he said.

However, on Monday following intelligence leads, Githurai and Ruiru based detectives apprehended the criminals.

They include; Peter Njoroge, John Muchoki,  John Kimani, Peter Mwangi and Benson Itimu.

Three of the suspects are ex-convicts for various capital offences including robbery with violence and murder.

"The miscreants are well organized, complete with a specialized mechanic who vandalizes a vehicle within minutes of a carjacking and a customer relations expert, who lures unsuspecting taxi drivers to their trap," he said.

A vehicle used by the gang, assorted allen keys, screwdrivers and sacks for carrying vandalised motor vehicle parts was also recovered.

Also recovered were original identity cards belonging to victims of crime, used to register SIM cards and lure unsuspecting cab drives and a mobile phone for making taxi requests.

They were arraigned and cops granted 10 days to complete their investigations. 

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