Equity Bank robbed of unknown amount of money

Police are investigating a break-in at Equity Bank’s Kangari branch on Saturday night.

The thieves made away with about Sh600,000 on Saturday night between 9:30 pm and 2:30 am. However, the bank has not completed reconciliation to ascertain the exact amount stolen.

The criminals, suspected to have had the keys to the doors of the bank, gained access through the rear entrance.

They emptied some safes and ATM machines.

The robbery was discovered because the bank’s headquarters in Nairobi was unable to gain access to the branch online.

The guards on duty were also not answering the phone. 

The Standard learnt that a manager at the branch and three other officers are on suspension.

Police said the alarm and CCTV camera systems were intact despite attempts to tamper with. Detectives said the gang used a gas cylinder to break into the strong room and pulled out lockers believed to have contained millions of shillings.

The gang also emptied the ATM machine. Duplicate keys used to gain access to the bank were left behind.

The acting county police commander, Johnstone Limo, said the gang used the back door after the front door failed to open.

Limo said the gang may have been familiar with the bank and that they used duplicated keys to gain access to the building.

“We suspect it was a well-organised inside job.”

He said the police were looking for a guard who was on duty and added that he had been reported missing. His supervisors have yet to locate him.