Detectives in Nairobi and Kiambu arrested two people notorious for housebreaking incidents in posh estates within the two counties.
The suspects, Lavender Akinyi Ogilo and Vincent Odhiambo Otieno were arrested on Wednesday over housebreaking and theft incidents that took place on April 1 and 19, 2024, about five years after they were arraigned for similar crimes.
The woman is a repeat offender as she has been arrested in the past over the same claims.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations revealed that the duo was among a gang of six members nabbed and arraigned for a violent robbery by Kilimani detectives back in 2019.
“Notably, the two arrested suspects were among a gang of six members nabbed and arraigned for a violent robbery by Kilimani detectives on May 18, 2019, with warrants of arrest in force against Lavender for absconding court and jumping bail.”
In the recent incidents, sleuths drawn from DCI headquarters Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) and their DCI Kabete counterparts smoked out Lavender from her Kirigiti hideout while her accomplice was found in Kasarani following a robbery report filed at Kibiku Police Station.
DCI says the two reportedly broke into a home at Kitisuru in Gathiga in the first burglary where they got away with household items of unknown value.
“Lavender Akinyi was ejected from her four-bedroom house located within Kirigiti while her partner in crime was flushed from a Kasarani base,” DCI stated.
“The suspected housebreakers (maybe burglars) had broken into house No.17 of the opulent Kitisuru Terraces located in one of the prolific and prime suburbs of Nairobi at Kitisuru in Gathiga, by removing a window pane from the kitchen door and mastering the padlock. From therein, a 55″ TCL TV, 40″ Samsung TV, a wristwatch, an iPad, a computer monitor, a MacBook laptop, wall paintings, and carpets among other items had been stolen.”
On April 19, the pair together with other four accomplices still at large, forced entry into yet another house at Oak Valley Apartments located along Mvuli Road in Kileleshwa where they got away with thousands of cash.
Though the owner managed to intercept the robbery, he was slightly injured as they fled using a waiting white vehicle.
“In the second incident on April 19, 2024, another house at Oak Valley Apartments located along Mvuli Road in Kileleshwa was broken into, by six perpetrators who mastered the key.
Luckily, the homeowner interrupted the invaders’ party after returning home earlier than expected, although they managed to beetle off with thousands of cash,” said the DCI.
“Though slightly injured, the victim was also able to spot the hoodlums hop into a waiting white vehicle Reg.No KDG 305C whose make was not immediately established, which then drove away.”
DCI officers launched a manhunt for the suspects where they arrested and detained the two and confiscated a vehicle, a black Mercedes Benz which was being used by the suspects.
A search for the remaining four accomplices is underway.
Cases of house breaking have been on the rise with many losing property and cash.