How robbers prey on mourners

Shipping & Logistics

By NJOKI CHEGE

Being robbed of all your valuables including your car is the last thing you would expect at a funeral.

Unfortunately thieves and carjackers have devised a new way of carrying out their trade by waylaying unsuspecting Kenyans at funerals.

If for instance the thieves learn of a funeral where people are first gathering at a funeral home, they will strategically place themselves within the crowd to carry out their mission.

They work in groups of about six to eight, with one of them acting as their leader. The leader poses as the ‘Transport manager’ of that particular funeral pretending to deploy people into various cars as they move from the funeral home towards the burial site.

Maurice Njihia, knows this too well. Only two weeks ago, he almost fell victim to the crime. He was attending a funeral at Thika, and the procession was making its first stop at a local popular mortuary.

Offers Njihia: "They will pretend to be very busy deploying two or three members of their gang posing as mourners to several personal cars belonging to generous motorist’s kind enough to give lifts to otherwise stranded mourners."

As he explains, the thieves deployed to the personal cars will act friendly and cool and even make up stories of how close they were to the deceased or the deceased’s relatives. Women too, are involved in such gangs, and many times members of the gang will pose as a couple.

But what made Njihia suspect foul play was the fact that he had been attending the funeral committee meetings and he knew that everyone from the deceased’s family was using transport as organised by the committee.

"So when they told me that they were from the deceased’s family, I knew right then that they were lying. I just told them that I will not be going to the burial site immediately," Njihia told The Underworld.

In other cases, the two or three thieves deployed to the car will pretend not to know each other in a bid to put up a show.

True colours

Upon reaching halfway to the burial site, the thieves turn against the unsuspecting motorist and passengers. Most of them are armed with guns, and they will order the other occupants of the car to remain silent, surrender their valuables as the motorist is ordered to take a different route.

Even if the cars are traveling in a convoy, the motorists are warned against doing anything ‘stupid’ such as alerting the police or even the car infront or behind them.

After the occupants have been robbed of their valuables, the thieves take off with the car.

The gangs usually camp at various popular funeral homes in and out of Nairobi where they are assured of many people attending the funeral processions.

Andrew Okello says his car was stolen during a funeral he attended.

Offers Okello: "I made sure I had locked all the doors and put the alarm on before I went to view the body. Upon coming back, I found that my car had been stolen. Not even the guard at the entrance saw anything."

Okello explains that every day, a car is stolen from that funeral home, in spite of the security detail employed to ensure security.

The same happens in weddings when people first gather at the bride’s or grooms house before they take off to church. Two or three people get into a car, act friendly and take off with the valuables and the car. The same could happen after the church ceremony as people move to the reception venue.

Hot cakes

It is also important to note that many cars, particularly the Toyota model, have become ‘hot cakes’ as many people have reported to lose their cars in funerals, weddings and visiting days among other social functions.

It is reported that everyday, a car or two are reported missing by funeral goers at a certain funeral home located in Thika town.

You may not be at a funeral or wedding, but you could also fall victim to kidnappers, as one woman did on December 31, last year.

After parking her car at Nakumatt Cabanas, she decided to go to town using public means to run a few errands. Upon coming back, the matatu dropped her a distance from Cabanas, so she decided to take a walk.

It was while walking when two young ladies in a saloon car pulled over and offered to give her a lift.

She hopped into the back seat of the car where she found a young man seated there.

When she finally reached her destination, she asked to alight, but the young man grabbed her, pulled out a gun and told her "Mama tuko kazi, (Woman, we are at work)".

They demanded Sh200,000 from her asking that she call people close to her asking them to send her money as she was in deep trouble.

Calling for help

The woman, horrified, told them that she was a widow and had only one son who was serving a jail term in Kamiti. Of course this was a lie, as she did not want to part with money.

Nonetheless, the thieves did not give up. They demanded for her phone, and went through the phonebook asking her what everyone on her phonebook meant to her.

Eventually, she called her daughter, explained what was going on and she agreed to send her Sh60,000.

Still not satisfied, the thieves urged her on, but most people she called were not able to come up with large amounts of money on such a short notice.

The thieves also took her new year’s shopping, her phone and purse, which contained Sh9,000.

Eventually, she was released, after being held for over ten hours. In total, she was robbed of Sh69,000 in cash.

She was dropped off at a school along the Eastern By-pass where she got help and was able to reach her husband and children for help.

Deputy police spokesman Charles Owino warns motorists and Kenyans in general against giving lifts to strangers. You are also warned against accepting lifts from strangers no matter how endearing and convincing they may seem.

Offers Owino: "The advice is very simple, do not offer lifts to any stranger unless you are assigned by the funeral committee, who should be people you know."

Owino further advises Kenyans to report to the police in case of a carjacking incident to pave the way for proper police investigation.

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