Motorists are on high alert due to increased cases of vandalism of car parts on the streets of Nairobi and a recent incident at Ring Road Kileleshwa along the Arboretum link.
In a video shared on Friday, June 2, a young man lurking on the streets pretending to offer help and clean windshields was seen stealing a part of the vehicle before fleeing.
The incident captured by the dashboard camera showed the cunning tricks used by the suspect, who pretended to wipe the car for a few seconds.
While cleaning, he knocked out the headlight washer that dropped on the ground, picked it up, and fled in a different direction.
"Never entertain any of these bad guys while in traffic. They meekly offer to wipe dirt off your car and then vandalise and/or steal various parts," one stated.
"So sad, is it the new trend, or do they just steal parts while in traffic? Insecurity is all over Nairobi within the CBD, street families walking with gunny bags to steal vehicle parts," one motorist stated.
Kenyans were astonished when the driver remained calm as the suspect was in the act. However, it was reported that the driver alighted and, together with other motorists, caught the suspect.
"The driver should have come out and confronted this thug. You just can not watch and do nothing," one suggested.
Others called upon Governor Johnson Sakaja to curb insecurity, warning that foreigners may avoid touring Nairobi if the crime rate remained high.
"Police and the county government should do their work. Get all parking boys off the streets, arrest the beneficiaries of stolen items," one suggested.
"You need to start dealing with kind of vandalism, starting with traders who buy stolen goods," another added.
Notably, in April 2023, Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen directed the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to crack down on all spare part dealers in the country.
Murkomen added that the parts sold were substandard and resulted in tragic accidents.
"It has been noted that most of the crashes were caused by tyre burst, brake failure while on high speed and crashing into vehicles with substandard retroreflective strips thus affecting visibility in the road," Murkomen stated.
NTSA was expected to liaise with the Anti-Counterfeit Authority, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), and the National Police Service in the operation.
