Police arrest six suspected members of sophisticated Nairobi robbery syndicate

Police officers in Nairobi have arrested six suspected criminals believed to be behind a spate of robberies and house break-ins across the city, marking a significant breakthrough in the fight against a syndicate that has allegedly terrorised residents for the past two years.

The suspects, four Kenyans, one Tanzanian and one Indian national — were arrested on Sunday, 16 November after breaking into a home in Jokim Estate, South B. Authorities say the gang gained access to the estate using a black Nissan X-Trail fitted with fake insurance documents and forged number plates (KDQ 010C).

Makadara Police Commander Judith Nyongesa confirmed the arrests, stating: “For the last two years these people have been terrorising citizens. They have been breaking into houses and stealing valuables including money, gold and other valuable things.”

“From what we have seen, this is not a mere break-in crew. One of the suspects, Jackie, alias Rehema, appears to have inside knowledge of these estates, she may have been scouting or reporting on vulnerabilities,” she revealed.

Nyongesa added that the suspects have been linked to over 180 cases of housebreaking across Nairobi, particularly in Gigiri, Lavington, Parklands and Westlands.

CCTV captures the break-in

CCTV footage from the Sunday November 16, incident showed several members of the gang in action. According to residents, the group consisted of five men and two women, one of whom, dressed in a buibui, acted as a lookout. She fled moments before police arrived, a scene clearly captured on CCTV. The police said she is being sought for further interrogation.

Nyongesa called for stronger judicial action, saying: “We arrested six of them, the ringleader is of Indian origin. It is time the Judiciary takes keen interest in this matter because they have been arrested on several occasions.”

Security guard raised the alarm

Estate security guard Thomas Waita said he became suspicious when the group refused to identify themselves at the gate.

“They refused to identify themselves when I asked,” he said. “Instead, they forced their way into the estate. I decided to discreetly follow them to see which house they were going to. I noted that they had parked outside a house whose owner has been away for a while.”

Waita alerted a resident who is a police officer, who then contacted the Makadara police. Officers arrived in under 10 minutes, intercepting the suspects before they could break the door.

The homeowner’s sister, who rushed to the scene after being informed, praised the rapid police response: “I thank the police for acting so fast and stopping a crime before it happened.”

The house caretaker, Richard Aruda, said he had not reported to work that day because it was a Sunday—his off day—and only learned of the burglary attempt after receiving a call from his employer.

“I had left the house locked and, as usual, went to church since it was my off day. At around 4:30pm, I received a call informing me that there had been an attempted robbery. I rushed back immediately. We thank God the police managed to salvage the situation in time,” he said.

Residents said the woman who was arrested, identified as Jackie, had been seen in the estate on several occasions posing as a cleaning lady.

“We have seen this woman in the estate many times. She comes to wash clothes for people. She must have been posing as the gang’s informant,” one resident said.

Victims recount previous attacks

Two Parklands residents recognised the arrested suspects as the same gang that had targeted their homes.

Jayendra Vala, whose home was broken into in September 2024, said: “They came in broad daylight while my family and I were away. We lost money, gold jewelry, clothes, a TV, five laptops and items that meant everything to us.”

Another victim, Hardipsinh Jadeja, said he returned home in March this year to a scene of devastation.

“I found my house broken into and everything turned upside down,” he said.

“They made away with expensive valuables, including two cameras, an iPad, Sh300,000 in cash, a drone, gold rings and a chain, a scuba diving set and a tripod.”

Both men welcomed the arrests and urged heightened vigilance ahead of the holiday season.

“We appeal to our security teams to tighten estate security in affected areas, especially in the lead-up to the December holidays when most people will be travelling and leaving their houses unattended,” Vala said.

Security concerns

Nyongesa said the gang’s use of high-end or mid-range vehicles is deliberate, allowing them to avoid suspicion within affluent estates.

As a result, managers and residents are urging stricter access controls, enhanced CCTV systems, improved visitor logging, and real-time vehicle verification.

Police say their investigations into the wider network are ongoing, with efforts now focused on dismantling the syndicate entirely.