Police thwart carjacking incident, arrest three suspects

Three men who are suspected to be part of a carjacking ring that has been terrorising motorists in Nandi and Uasin-Gishu counties have been arrested in Kapsabet.

The three were nabbed by officers from the Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at Kapsabet in a foiled attempt to carjacking incident.

DCI officials report that the three posed as police officers and allegedly attempted to gain forced entry into a private vehicle with intent to rob the owners of the car and speed off with the vehicle.

Their attempt was however foiled by DCI officers who were on patrol along the Kapsabet-Eldoret road who suspected the three were not police officers when they could not produce their badges.

"The three are suspected to be part of an organized group of carjackers who have been robbing motorists in Nandi and Uasin-Gishu counties while posing as police officers," read a statement from the DCI.

The report added: "The criminals gain entry into the victim’s car by pretending to be police officers then rob them clean off their valuables before speeding off with the car."

The Criminal Investigations office also reports that a number of vehicles which are reported stolen in Nandi and Uasin-Gishu are suspected to be sold in Kericho, Kisumu and Nairobi areas by the same car theft syndicate.

"We suspect that the vehicles that are stolen in Nandi and Uasin-Gishu counties find a ready market in Kericho, Kisumu and far going counties like Nairobi," read the DCI report.

County Police Boss Patrick Wambani said the three were transferred to Kericho County where they were being sought for carjacking and robbery with violence accusations.

"The three men are being sought in Kericho county for car theft and robbery; they have been transferred to security arms in the county for prosecution," said Wambani.

The three men who were posing as police officers had a gun in their possession.

The firearm was also confiscated by the DCI officers and is undergoing forensic incestigations in government laboratories in Nairobi.

Wambani is calling upon motorists to exercise caution while on the road and further asked them not to allow unidentified individuals gain entry into their vehicles.

"Question the motives of any individual claiming to be a police officers who will want to gain entry into your car; criminals who are posing as police officers use the opportunity to gain control of the vehicle before stealing it," said Wambani.

Meanwhile security arms are on high alert for more suspected car jackers who are part of the syndicate.