Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have nabbed a suspect linked to a brazen theft incident, where a passenger lost over Ksh500,000 after boarding a vehicle falsely claiming to be a taxi. The incident, which took place on the night of August 8, saw the victim and his friend seek transport after leaving a social joint in Nairobi's Lavington area. While trying to order a taxi via an app, they were approached by someone posing as a driver who offered to take them to their destination at a reasonable price. Trusting the offer, the pair took the 'taxi' to a short-stay rental in the area.
Immediately after dropping them off, the driver disappeared with the victim's phone and it was later discovered that he used the stolen device to transfer over Ksh500,000 from the victim's accounts to several different mobile money and bank accounts.
DCI Headquarters, Kiambu Road, Nairobi June 16, 2024.
Photo DCI According to the DCI, the suspect proceeded to deactivate his accounts, a move which further complicated recovery efforts. Investigations were soon launched, with detectives tracking down the vehicle believed to have been used in the scheme.
