Police on high alert as criminals posing as athletes invade estates

Keiyo OCPD Mwendwa Meme at his Iten office. [Fred Kibor/Standard]

Security officers in Iten are on high alert after criminals posing as athletes robbed residents.

The thugs target electronics, gas cylinders, household items and vehicles which are then sold in Eldoret and neighbouring towns. The worst affected estates are Lillys, Mororia and Finland.

"Almost all the estates in Iten and its environs are inhabited by athletes. Thugs posing as athletes have been spying on houses that have expensive electronics before alerting their gang members to execute the robbery," said Keiyo North OCPD Mwenda Meme.

"We have discovered that as soon as the other tenants leave for work, the break-ins happen," stated the OCPD.

Two days ago, a county procurement officer returned home from work only to find his house broken into and valuables stolen.

"We have reasons to believe that some athletes are on a different mission here other than just running," said Meme. On any given day, Iten hosts more than 5,000 athletes.