Police in Makueni have arrested a 38-year-old man believed to be the mastermind behind a violent highway robbery that left a motorist injured and his vehicle stolen. The suspect was apprehended in Ukia, Makueni Sub-County, following a coordinated forensic and tactical operation led by officers from Makindu.
During the arrest, officers successfully recovered a stolen silver Subaru Trezia that had been taken in the incident. According to police reports, the crime occurred as the victim, who was traveling from Mombasa to Malaba, picked up two hitchhikers in Mariakani.
As the vehicle approached Kiunduani Market, one of the hitchhikers requested to alight. When the driver slowed down, two other attackers suddenly emerged from a nearby thicket, assaulted the driver with a blunt object, and made off with his vehicle and personal belongings.
The victim was later treated at Makindu Sub-County Hospital and discharged in stable condition. While the primary suspect is now in custody, his accomplices are still at large. However, detectives say the attackers left behind critical leads, which will aid ongoing investigations.
During the recovery operation, officers also seized a motorcycle believed to have been used as a getaway vehicle, two sets of stolen number plates, and a pair of screwdrivers suspected to be used in vehicle tampering.
Separately, in a crackdown targeting motor vehicle theft syndicates, law enforcement officers from the National Police Service (NPS) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) raided several illegal car dismantling yards along Kangundo Road in Nairobi on April 8, 2025.
The raid resulted in the arrest of three individuals and the recovery of various motor vehicle parts, an assortment of number plates, and metal-cutting tools. Four vehicles three with tampered chassis numbers and one bearing suspected fake number plates—were intercepted and towed to the DCI headquarters for forensic analysis.
Authorities say these operations are part of a broader strategy aimed at dismantling organized car theft rings operating nationwide. The arrested suspect in Makueni is expected to be arraigned in court soon as the manhunt for his accomplices intensifies.
