Police recover over 300 stolen laptops

By CYRUS OMBATI

Nairobi, Kenya: Police have recovered more than 300 laptops valued at Sh4million that had been robbed while on transit from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Athi River.

Detectives handling the case arrested three suspects on Thursday and recovered the HP laptops in a bush where they had been offloaded at about 10am.

The gadgets were headed for a firm in EPZ in Athi River from the Airport when gunmen attacked the driver of the lorry carrying them and diverted it to the bush near the Athi River Bridge.

Head of Special Crimes Prevention Unit Said Kiprotich said they had been tipped off of the robbery before striking.

“Two other men who include a former police officer managed to escape into the bush when police arrived at the scene but we are looking for them,” said Kiprotich.

The officer revealed the recovery was the sixth in the past three months involving stolen goods that are on transit from the airport.

“We think the gang is the same because the goods usually go missing in this area. We recently recovered solar panels, tyres, building materials and furniture that had been stolen in the same way.”

He added that they were hunting down the masterminds of the crime that has robbed many traders of millions of shillings.

The attackers usually have prior information on the goods that are being transported before they strike.

Kiprotich said they are interrogating the arrested suspects and would appear in court when investigations are complete.

Workers at a construction site near the scene where the goods were recovered said they did not know who allowed the lorry there.

The watchman on duty who police believe is an accomplice also escaped from the scene when the officers struck.