This archive report was first published on 8 August 2020.
Published on August 8, 2020, a new wave of crime has hit Kakamega town, targeting student hostels. In the past two weeks, at least 10 cases of theft have been reported in various hostels in the town.
The most affected areas include Milimani, Kefinco, Koromatangi, and Showground estates, where the gang has made away with goods like gas cookers, electronics, beds, and mattresses. Most students left their property in the care of their landlords and caretakers when learning institutions closed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The gang's activities are puzzling, as they have been accessing areas where there are security guards. The learners are also blaming some caretakers for concealing incidents of theft, claiming that some caretakers may be part of the syndicate since they do not report the thefts to the police.
Stacey Cherono, a third-year student of Nursing and Midwifery at Masinde Muliro University, is counting her losses after the gang raided her house. "I was at home when my caretaker called informing me of the theft; he told me that my house had been ‘swept clean' by the thieves," said Cherono.
David Kabena, the Kakamega Central Police Sub-County Commander, declined to comment on the matter.
