NAIROBI, Kenya – Police in Nairobi have launched investigations into a suspected bank-linked heist after a Runda Gardens resident lost nearly Sh1 million moments after withdrawing the cash from a bank in Gigiri.
The victim, Professor Ratemo Michilieka, reported that he withdrew Sh950,000 from Cooperative Bank’s Warwick Centre branch, money he intended to pay contractors working at his home.
According to a police report, the professor drove directly from the bank to his residence in Runda Gardens, parking his vehicle about 15 metres from the gate of the construction site.
Minutes later, a loud bang alerted him and one of his workers, identified as Mwaura. On checking the vehicle, they discovered that the left-side window had been smashed.
A black bag containing the cash and a cheque book had been stolen.
The two immediately searched the surrounding area but found no trace of the suspects.
Due to the timing of the incident and the targeted nature of the theft, investigators are exploring the possibility of an inside job involving individuals with prior knowledge of the cash withdrawal.
Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Kenya Police Service (KPS) in Gigiri have since visited the scene and recorded statements.
No arrests have been made so far, but detectives say the case remains under active investigation.
Police have urged members of the public to exercise caution when withdrawing or transporting large sums of money and to promptly report any suspicious activity.
