This archive report was first published on 19 June 2020.
On Wednesday, police in Busia arrested four women suspected of being part of a shoplifting syndicate that has been targeting chain stores in Western and Nyanza regions.
According to police, the women were caught with stolen goods inside Peshmart supermarket and were detained at Bumala police station.
This was the second time the women were arrested, after they were caught on camera shoplifting in Kisumu on Sunday.
A private car believed to be used in ferrying the shoplifted goods was also impounded, and various goods recovered.
Police boss Richard Omanga said the suspects hail from Vihiga county, and that they had stolen many products from two supermarkets in Busia before being nabbed.
Frankmart Supermarket proprietor Frank Maingi said the supermarket had lost goods worth Sh150,000 over the past three months.
"This time round our CCTV cameras captured them while hiding products in their clothes," said Mr Maingi.
Edwin Otieno, branch manager of Khetias Supermarket in Busia, regretted that the women put their lives at risk by stealing from supermarkets.
"The way they execute the theft is so smart that one cannot notice except by help of hidden cameras. It appears they have ready market for the goods they steal from supermarkets," said Otieno.
