There was drama in Ruiru, Kiambu County, on Wednesday evening after a group of boda boda riders stormed a loan company accused of being behind a string of motorcycle thefts targeting their members.
The riders, mostly from Zimmerman, Nairobi, said they had been taking bikes from the company on loan, only to later discover that some of the same motorcycles allegedly stolen from them were being displayed for sale at the firm’s premises.
The angry riders claimed that several of their colleagues had recently fallen victim to mysterious theft incidents involving unknown assailants posing as passengers.
They said the attackers would drug the riders before making away with their motorcycles and personal belongings, including phones and cash.
In one of the incidents, a rider was reportedly drugged by a client he had picked up, losing his bike and valuables. The victim reported the case at Membly Police Station and later visited the loan company, only to be told that his motorcycle’s tracker had been deactivated in Mlolongo, Machakos County.
A day later, when he returned to follow up on the investigation, the rider and a colleague were shocked to find the same motorcycle on display at the company’s premises, allegedly being prepared for sale.
The discovery prompted the riders to mobilise others, leading to the raid on Wednesday evening.
“These people, we had taken loans from them. But what they have been doing is coming to our stage pretending to be customers to be ferried, only for them to stupefy you using drugs; you sleep and end up robbed,” narrated Samuel Oyaro, one of the affected riders.
He added, “They once did that to my friend, who was stupefied, his phone and money taken as well as his bike.”
The riders demanded immediate action against the company, accusing it of running a criminal racket that used loans as a cover to repossess or resell stolen motorcycles. They also called for a thorough investigation into how the firm was allegedly linked to thefts reported across Zimmerman, Kahawa West, and Ruiru.
Ruiru Sub-County Police Commander Maina Kibathi confirmed receiving complaints and said officers raided the company’s premises following reports from the aggrieved riders.
“We got a report that there is a company here in Ruiru; there is a complainant who reported to us that his bike was stolen, only for him to get it back at this company. Today they stormed the company, and we had to come and confirm this,” said Kibathi.
He added that all the motorcycles at the premises had been taken to the police station as investigations continue. “We will now allow them to come to the station with all documentation to ascertain that the motorbikes are theirs so that we can set the next steps,” he stated.
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