The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Tuesday, July 4, arrested three suspects, including a lady accused of being part of a syndicate stupefying motorists, before robbing them.
According to DCI, the woman had become used to baiting and luring boda riders by posing as a pillion passenger.
The DCI revealed that the woman used pills to drug unsuspecting motorists before leading them to an unknown location where she would rob them.
With the cases of motorbike theft on the rise, police acted swiftly to nullify the gang, which was reported to operate from Loitoktok town, which allowed them to sell the items across the border.
The lady led the detectives to the other suspects. One was based in Loitoktok town, where he was believed to have cultivated a ready market for the stolen goods.
"Stolen mobile phones were also recovered from the suspects, including one that had been stolen from a motorbike rider, who was stupefied before he lost his bike in Juja, Kiambu County," a report by the DCI read.
Additionally, over 30 tablets suspected to have been used to drug the riders were recovered and seized as evidence.
The trio was discovered to have pending criminal cases in Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County, and Diani in Kwale County, adding to the complexity of their legal situation.
In April 2023, bodaboda riders called upon the police to intervene after a resurgence of motorcycle theft and fatal attacks targetting the riders.
In Meru County, two deaths were reported, and about eight motorcycles were stolen within a fortnight, forcing the residents to sound the alarm. The residents explained that the suspects usually attacked the riders with crude weapons.
Rogue institutions were also accused of loaning motorcycles to riders only to steal them after the loan had been fully serviced.
