Armed gang caught on camera robbing motorist in Parklands

Detectives are on the trail of a criminal gang that has been targeting and robbing motorists who are ambushed after making Bank cash withdrawals, with the latest incident happening on Saturday.

Patel Kashyap Kantibha had just withdrawn Sh999,000 from I&M Bank along 1st Parklands Avenue when he lost his cash to the gang.

The victim was in a Toyota Cienda car towards Avenue Hospital when he was blocked by a Toyota Axio vehicle. A CCTV footage from an adjacent building shows two men, one in police uniform resembling that of a traffic officer, jumping out and confronting Patel.

The criminal in police uniform is seen approaching Patel, who was on the steering wheel, before forcing the door open as his accomplices, who appears to be armed and donning a black jacket and blue trousers, head to the co-driver’s side where the money in a khaki envelope had been kept under the seat.

In the 41-second clip, the getaway car, whose registration number plate was not clearly captured, is seen making a U-turn as the two robbers attack the victim.

Patel told police the getaway vehicle had five occupants, adding that he was hit on the right shoulder by the gangster who was armed with what appeared to be a pistol.

After grabbing the money, the robbers sped towards Limuru Road. Police on Sunday said efforts are being made to trace the notorious.

According to Nairobi Regional Criminal Investigations Officer (RCIO) Benson Kasyoki, three similar incidents have been reported in the recent past.

“The first incident was reported last year, and through profiling, we have established the gang whose ring leader masquerades as a traffic police officer,” said Kasyoki.

Meanwhile, a driver was rescued on Sunday after three armed robbers hijacked him at Kamirithu area in Limuru along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

Stephen Kariuki Mutai was ferrying energy drinks for distribution in Nakuru when he was waylaid at around 5am after a huge boulder was rolled on the track, forcing him to stop. The three men armed with crude weapons took control of the Nissan Hiace with police in hot pursuit after the alarm was raised.

The officers gave chase, deflating the car’s rare tyres, forcing the gangsters to abandon the car at Ngarariga area and flee on foot, leaving Kariuki inside the vehicle.