A police officer was apprehended on Sunday, June 8, alongside two other suspects for allegedly vandalising infrastructure in Nairobi.
In a statement, the National Police Service confirmed the apprehension, which was made on Mombasa Road near Nyayo Stadium.
According to the NPS, the incident unfolded after the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) Nairobi area security team received a tip-off about suspicious activity at the location.
When the security personnel arrived at the scene, they found 10 individuals armed with crude weapons actively digging and taking out copper cables buried beneath the ground.
Several suspects managed to flee the scene, but the officers were able to apprehend three individuals, including the police officer.
Among the items recovered at the scene were several hacksaws, a spade, some hoes and a number of pickaxes, typically used by miners to dig through the ground.
"All three suspects, along with the recovered materials, are currently in police custody as investigations continue," the NPS said in their statement.
The statement went on, "The National Police Service (NPS) is thankful for the information from the public that led to this apprehension and warns the general public against engaging in vandalism and other criminal activities."
Notably, the area along Mombasa Road, near Nyayo Stadium, has been a hotspot for thieves, who mainly target KPLC materials like copper wires and oil from transformers.
Copper, being a non-ferrous metal, is extremely valuable not only in Kenya but abroad as well. In Kenya, copper wires are easy targets in poorly guarded or remote areas since there is a ready market available on the black market.
Because copper wires are widely used in construction, telecommunications, and electrical power transmission, scrap dealers and unofficial recycling networks are willing buyers for the commodity. This makes it easier for criminals to target infrastructure from companies like Kenya Power that depend on the material.
In some areas in the country, frequent power outages are mostly attributed to vandalism of infrastructure, such as copper cables.
Being found guilty of vandalism can result in a hefty fine. In April, a Kitale Law Court slapped a man involved in the theft and vandalism of electric infrastructure in western Kenya with a six-year jail term with an option of a Ksh10.2 million fine.
In a statement on Tuesday, April 8, the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) confirmed that the man, who had a previous record of similar offences, pleaded guilty to vandalising energy infrastructure, stealing energy equipment, handling stolen energy equipment, and carrying out electric installation without the necessary authorisation.
