Police arrest criminal gang linked to livestock theft in Kirinyaga

Police in Ndia, Kirinyaga County, have arrested a six-member criminal gang responsible for a string of livestock thefts in the area.

The suspects, including alleged gang leader Bernard Kariuki Rukungu, are currently being held at Sagana Police Station pending arraignment on Friday.

Kirinyaga West Sub-County Police Commander Moses Koskei told Citizen Digital that officers laid a trap for the suspects following the theft of a cow at Kahiro village near Sagana.

He added that officers had been pursuing the suspects ever since they stole three cows valued at Ksh.300,000 on October 5, 2024.

The gang's modus operandi, Koskei said, involves renting cars in Nairobi to steal the cows before returning the vehicles and hiring others to cover their tracks.

"The  suspects, while using a brown Toyota Axio Reg. No. KDL 612R stole a female cow valued at Ksh.80,000, the property of one Anthony Muthee Kabiru," said Koskei.

"Four suspects hail from Mwea East while two are from Nairobi. Their gang leader, Rukungu, hails from Kang'aru village in Ndia but he relocated to Ndindiruku village in Mwea East where has a butcher; he has an active arrest warrant."

The six suspects will be arraigned at the Baricho Law Courts on Friday.

"We will ask the court to allow us to stay with the suspects as we continue with investigations," Koskei said.