By Michelle Ndaga
Detectives have arrested three suspects believed to be part of a well-coordinated stock theft syndicate operating across Embu and Kirinyaga counties.
The operation began in Embu, where officers intercepted Alex Mwangi and Anthony Macharia and impounded a Toyota Sienta allegedly used to transport stolen animals under the cover of darkness.
Acting on leads from the arrests, the operation extended to Kerugoya town, where detectives apprehended Mercy Nyaguthi Njiru, identified as the receiver of the stolen livestock.
A subsequent search of Njiru’s premises uncovered a cache of stolen animals, including a heifer suspected to have been stolen from Kianjoma, a Friesian cow believed to have been stolen from Karatina, ten goats, five kids, and one sheep.
The three suspects are currently in custody, undergoing processing, and will be arraigned in court in the coming days.
Authorities say the arrests mark a significant breakthrough in the fight against livestock theft, a crime that has long troubled farmers in the Mt. Kenya region, causing heavy financial losses.
Investigations into possible accomplices and additional thefts linked to the syndicate are ongoing.
