Gunmen escape with Sh8.7m in Forex Bureau robbery

By Cyrus Ombati

Four gunmen stormed into a Forex Bureau in Nairobi's Parklands area and made away with Ksh8.7 million. The staff had just opened the bureau when the gunmen went in posing as customers. They suddenly flashed out pistols, made their way in and grabbed the money in the Saturday 9am incident.

Police say they are yet to establish the identity of the gunmen but they are scrutinizing CCTV footage on their movement in and out of the Bureau.

The gunmen are said to have arrived in a car before the bureau was opened and parked outside in waiting.

Nairobi area PPO Anthony Kibuchi said that police suspect the gang had inside information on the availability of the cash which was in both Local and Foreign Currency.

A team of detectives is pursuing the gang that escaped without injuring anyone. Police were called after the gang had escaped.

The incident comes less than a month after a gang stormed into Barclays bank, Eastleigh branch and robbed close to Ksh58 Million.

An incident that occurred after the bank had closed the day’s business. Even the doors had been shut and no customers were being let in.

When the night shift guards had taken charge, two men allegedly came knocking saying they had huge sums of money they wanted to bank.

Police said the men pleaded with the guards saying the money was in millions and they could not risk going back with the same before they were finally let in.

And as the two were walking in, a third man joined them with a similar excuse that he was a latecomer and had money that he had to deposit.

Preliminary findings showed the gang walked into the strong rooms where the money is said to have been kept without any hindrance. They went through four doors into the strong rooms that are upstairs, which police termed as unusual.

So far 10 suspects are facing theft and robbery charges in connection to the incident.