KISUMU, Kenya — Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives have arrested a suspected serial robbery suspect and recovered a G3 rifle believed to have been used in a string of violent crimes across Kisumu and Kakamega counties.
In a statement, the agency said the arrest followed a coordinated operation involving officers from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau and the Operations Directorate based at DCI headquarters.
Authorities also recovered a motor vehicle suspected to have been used as a getaway car, alongside several stolen items.
The suspect, whose identity has been withheld pending an identification parade, is believed to have operated within an organised criminal gang. He remains in custody and is being processed for arraignment, with detectives pursuing other accomplices still at large.
Investigations have linked the recovered firearm to a February 27, 2026, raid on the Nyalenda Police Patrol Base, where several officers and a civilian were injured, and two loaded G3 rifles were stolen. The recovery is seen as a significant breakthrough in efforts to trace weapons used in recent attacks.
According to DCI, the suspect is also connected to a robbery that occurred on March 17 in Arena Phase 4 Estate in Kisumu Central Sub-County. During the incident, a gang armed with the recovered rifle, a panga, and other crude weapons reportedly raided a business premises, stealing electronics, including a television, a woofer, computers, and mobile phones, before fleeing in a waiting vehicle.
In a separate incident on March 9, the suspect and two accomplices allegedly carried out a robbery at Duka Moja Shopping Centre in Kakamega South Sub-County. The trio, riding on a motorcycle and armed with a firearm and crude weapons, is said to have stolen cash, a laptop, and several mobile phones before escaping.
Detectives have further linked the group to another robbery in Kajulu, Kisumu East Sub-County, where suspects reportedly used the same rifle to fire at a shop door before gaining entry and stealing money and valuables. The gang is believed to have used motorcycles with concealed number plates to evade detection.
Authorities say the suspects may have been involved in a broader wave of violent crimes reported in February, including the attack on the Nyalenda police facility, raising concerns over the circulation of stolen firearms in criminal networks.
The recovery of the rifle and the arrest mark a significant step in ongoing investigations, with DCI reiterating its commitment to dismantling organised criminal gangs and enhancing public safety.
The agency has urged members of the public to share any information that may assist in tracking down the remaining suspects and recovering the second missing firearm.
