Robbers made away with cash after drilling tunnel from shopping complex

A gang of robbers pulled one of the most dramatic heists on Sunday night, snatching Sh50 million from a Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) branch in Thika town without firing a single shot.

The criminals, whose number has not yet been established, used a tunnel they had dug from the adjacent Thika City Friendly Stalls building to access the bank’s strongroom.

The tunnel, measuring about 30 metres long and 10 metres deep, was just 20 metres from the Thika Police Station that sits next to the bank. County Police Commander Adiel Nyange said they were holding three suspects – a woman and two men – as they try and unravel the robbery that has raised questions about how the suspects drilled the hole, which could have taken several weeks, if not months, without raising suspicion at the busy stalls that house different businesses.

One of the traders, who declined to be named, said two young men took up four stalls at the trading centre in June, from where they operated a bookshop. They used three for the shop and one as a store. The tunnel was dug in two of the three stalls used for the bookshop.

Monday morning, bank staff raised the alarm and called firefighters after discovering smoke coming from the strongroom when they reported to work. Empty cartons The bank manager then reported the incident at the Thika Police Station.

The incident was confirmed by the bank headquarters, with Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Judith Odhiambo saying the matter had been reported to the relevant authorities and investigations were ongoing.

“We wish to assure all our customers that their funds are safe and there is no cause for alarm. Customers seeking to transact can do so at any other KCB branch or access services through our mobile and internet banking platforms,” said Ms Odhiambo in a statement. Traders at the exhibition centre described the two suspects as hardworking, quiet and “innocent-looking”.

“The two young men were very hardworking and seemed very dedicated to their work. They were however introverts and did not mix at all with the other traders here,” said one trader.

Police are looking for the two men, who are now being treated as the main suspects. They are believed to have started digging the tunnel immediately after they moved into the stalls in June.

Another trader, who also sought anonymity, revealed that the two, said to drive around in a grey Subaru Forester, were seen carrying empty cartons into the stalls every evening and leaving with them packed, alluding to the fact that they could have been carrying soil dug from the secret tunnel. “The empty cartons, it has now emerged, were being used by the suspects to carry the soil from the tunnel,” said the trader.

The Standard

UM– USEKE.RW