Gang steals unknown amount in bank heist

By CYRUS OMBATI

Unknown number of thieves broke into the Barclays Bank, Ongata Rongai branch and escaped with unknown amount of money.

The gang which broke at unknown time on Friday night are said to have accessed the control room where the cash was kept and escaped unnoticed.

The incident was discovered on Saturday morning when staff opened for the day’s business. Police say they are yet to know the exact amount of money that was stolen.

Ongata Rongai OCPD Simon Kiragu said they were called and informed of the incident long after the robbery had occurred.

 He said they had confirmed the robbery occurred but the management had yet to reconcile figures to know the exact amount.

“We are yet to know who stole the money and how much but we have witnessed the strong room was broken into and money stolen,” said Kiragu.

He added that police are talking to the bank manager and four security officers who were on duty when the incident occurred.

An insider said the money which was Friday’s collection could run into tens of millions.

Police suspect an inside job that led to the robbery and that they hope to make arrests soon.

The incident happened weeks after a staff with Wells Fargo was arrested after reporting that Sh14 million he was escorting from Eldoret to Nairobi had vanished after being kidnapped by unknown thugs from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The staff was escorting the cash to Nairobi when he claimed he had been kidnapped and abandoned in Karen area in the city. He has since been charged in court.

Another gang stormed into Paramount Bank in Westlands last month and escaped with Sh3 million. The gang grabbed the money from the strongroom before escaping on a motorbike and no arrest has been made so far.