Directorate of Criminal Investigations sleuths are in pursuit of a Nairobi ‘catapult’ gang member who fled to Mombasa following the arrest of his accomplices in Nairobi.
Rodgers Ndung’u together with five other accomplices who were arrested are suspected to be members of a catapult gang dreaded for stealing from locked motor vehicles.
The six are said to have stolen sh.900,000 and 15,000 USD from a businessman based in Nairobi’s South C area two weeks ago.
“The distressed victim who reported the crime at Akila Police Station in Lang’ata indicated he had just parked his BMW X1 along Muhoho Road opposite Rubis Petrol Station and entered an autoparts shop when the felons struck,” said the DCI via their social media platforms.
“He had gone back to the car five minutes later, only to find a smashed rear window and a missing bag that contained the money,” added the DCI.
The suspects are said to have also stolen the victim’s KCB, DTB, and Gulf African ATM cards, his national ID card, smart driving license, and assorted job-related documents.
“Later that evening, the victim received a message alert indicating that sh.40,000 had been withdrawn from his KCB account and another from the DTB account ATM in Embakasi,” said the DCI.
Investigations into the matter led DCI sleuths to the first suspect, Charles Nzomo, who was captured by a nearby CCTV breaking into the motor vehicle.
“The footage also captured Paul Mukungi and Vincent Juma Raguma keeping watch as Nzomo employed his childhood skills in hunting with a catapult to smash the car window,” said the DCI.
The fourth suspect, Jane Mueni Mutinda is said to have been stalking the victim as suspect number five, Shaban Rashid Maingi waited in a gateaway Mazda Demio with plate no. KCE 822F.
The suspects were rounded up on Thursday night. Detectives also traced the vehicle, belonging to Charles Nzomo, to Tsavo Gardens. Inside was the victim’s KCB ATM card and carbreaking tools including a catapult.
The five are being held at the DCI Lang’ata office.
“Efforts are in place to recover a second motor vehicle and trace and arrest a sixth accomplice, Rodgers Ndung’u who fled to Mombasa,” said the DCI.
“Detectives believe that the syndicate is linked to another four suspects who were arrested on February 16th last year after a series of carbreaking using the same tools of trade, still in South C,” added the DCI.
