A 78-year-old woman was robbed of Sh150,000 in a daring daylight robbery shortly after withdrawing the money from a bank in Engineer, Nyandarua County.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday morning when the elderly woman withdrew the cash and boarded a public service vehicle (matatu) to her home in Gakorofa village, Mawingu Sublocation.
Unaware of the imminent danger, she got off the matatu and was walking a few kilometers towards her home when she and a companion were suddenly confronted by three men.
The suspects, who had been following her in a salon car, pulled up beside her, and one of them brandished a firearm.
They forcibly snatched her handbag, which contained the Sh150,000 and other personal items, before speeding off in the car.
The woman screamed for help, attracting the attention of locals, who quickly mounted a chase on motorcycles.
They alerted the police, who joined the pursuit as the suspects’ car sped towards Gilgil.
The car was finally intercepted near Malewa Bridge after one of its tires burst, causing it to come to a halt.
The suspects, however, fled on foot into a nearby thicket.
A search was immediately launched, and one suspect was apprehended with Sh28,000 in cash.
He was beaten by an angry mob before police could intervene.
Officers rescued him and took him to Manunga Health Centre for treatment of injuries sustained during the assault, including wounds to his head, chest, and shoulder.
He was later taken into police custody.
Further investigation revealed two toy pistols, handcuffs, a pocket phone, fake number plate stickers, and the car’s original number plates during a search of the vehicle.
The vehicle was towed to the local police station for further analysis.
Authorities are investigating whether the robbery was part of a wider scheme involving collusion with rogue bank staff, as such incidents often occur when criminals observe bank transactions.
The police are reviewing CCTV footage from the bank to determine if the victim was specifically targeted by individuals inside the bank.
The incident adds to a growing number of similar crimes in urban areas, prompting further scrutiny of security practices in financial institutions and public transport systems.
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