Two Iranian Nationals Detained in Thika After Sh15,000 Shopkeeper Swindle

Two Iranian nationals have been arrested over a series of theft incidents, one of which they allegedly staged in Thika, while posing as customers, swindling a shopkeeper of Sh15,000. According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the suspects were identified by a fellow trader who had fallen victim to a similar trick a month earlier, leading to their arrest and current detention at Thika Police Station. The suspects, 56-year-old Heidari Mansoior Eslam and 40-year-old Babaei Ahmad Mirzaaga, are being held as investigations continue. DCI said the Thika-based mobile shop owner grew suspicious when the two approached his shop pretending to buy a phone. “The sharp-eyed shopkeeper became suspicious when the pair pretended to be customers looking to purchase a phone. He suspected the two of being involved in a case of theft in a nearby shop just a month prior, which had the wheels turning in his mind,” the Authorities said. Acting quickly, he contacted the other shopkeeper, who arrived and confirmed the identity of the suspects. “The other shopkeeper positively identified the two foreigners, as he was indeed a victim of their stupefying tactics, which had left him Sh15,000 poorer a month ago,” reads the statement. “The alarm was raised, and soon the public rallied to take matters into their own hands, eyeing the thieves with the fury of a lion protecting its cubs.” The DCI noted that the suspects were taken into custody before any potential mob justice could occur. The duo remain in Thika Police Station as investigations proceed and preparations for their arraignment are finalised. In a separate operation, Rabai Sub-County detectives have arrested three suspects linked to a notorious highway robbery gang targeting truck drivers along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway. The arrests followed a tip-off from vigilant members of the public, leading to a targeted operation in Mabirikani. The suspects, identified as Juma Ali, Hamisi Juma, and Benedict Chirodo, are believed to belong to a criminal network that has frequently ambushed truck drivers near the Bonje area of Mazeras Township. Investigators recovered several items connected to their crimes, including foreign currency, two pairs of military boots, 14 rolls of bhang, thirty-two pieces of mug glass, mobile phone chargers, two bales of carrier bags and an HCL computer keyboard. “These items are linked to multiple cases registered at Mazeras police station and will be secured as exhibits for the ongoing investigation,” the DCI said. The suspects are currently in custody, undergoing processing ahead of their court appearance.