Love for football puts officers in deep trouble

Senior government officials led by Nandi South OCPD John Owouth outside Kamorwon Police Post where unknown thieves broke into the station's armory and stole three G3 rifles and ammunition.

Officers left their post to watch a match on TV at a shopping centre only to return and find the armoury broken into and weapons missing.

Three Police officers are regretting their decision to leave their post to watch a football match at a centre after criminals stole weapons in their absence.

After apparently discovering their Achilles’ heel — football — some criminals chose the most appropriate time to score against Kamorwon Police Post officers. They struck on Tuesday as Manchester United took on Barcelona and appeared certain that the officers had dropped their guard, of course due to their love of the beautiful game.

As the three officers watched the entertaining match at a shopping centre, the criminals were busy stealing guns from their armoury.

Three rifles

And by the time Barcelona bagged its 3-0 win against Manchester, the thieves had made away with three rifles from the armoury, leaving the officers with zero guns.

The officers, who were supposed to be on duty, discovered their heavy loss later when they trooped back to the station, which is 4km from the shopping centre.

Besides stealing the three G3 rifles, the thieves also made away with three magazines containing 60 rounds of 7.62 mm bullets.

Kamorwon is in Aldai and is 40km from Kapsabet. It is on the border between Nandi and Vihiga counties.

According to a police report filed by Corporal Rodgers Masiwa, one of the officers, unknown people broke into the post’s armoury at around 1am on Wednesday and took off with the weapons.

Corporal Masiwa reported that the officers attached to the police post were out when the robbery occurred.

“All officers left the police post to watch a UEFA football match at a nearby shopping centre at around 9.30pm on Tuesday. We returned at 1am to find the armoury broken into,” read the officer’s report.

It added: “The suspects broke into a room where a steel box containing our ammunition is kept. The steel box was broken and ammunition stolen.”

Each of the three rifles, serial numbers FMP 77095029, FMP 7709443 and A3 F91879, had magazine with 20 rounds.

The burglars left behind two magazines with 17 and 20 bullets. They also took off with a TV set and a gas cylinder.

Being grilled

County Commander Thomas Ngeiywa and Nandi South OCPD John Owuoth said the officers were being grilled by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Kapsabet.

Mr Ngeiywa said the neighbouring counties of Vihiga and Kisumu had been notified to be on the lookout for the stolen firearms.

The affected police post reports to Kobujoi Police Division in Nandi South.

Four officers are attached to the police post but one was on leave at the time of the incident.