Five arrested as 2 lorries stolen in Gatanga last year are recovered in Mombasa

Detectives from the Operation Support Unit (OSU) have arrested five suspects in connection with the theft of two Isuzu lorries that were stolen from Gatanga in Murang’a County on August 16, 2025.

The suspects, Peter Njuguna Gitau, Mark Kinyua, Erick Chege, David Kigo and Joseph Ndung’u Waweru, were apprehended after detectives pieced together intelligence linking them to the theft of the commercial vehicles. Investigators believe the group orchestrated the operation and attempted to dispose of the lorries far from the scene of the crime.

Following their arrest and subsequent interrogation, the suspects led officers to Makupa area in Mombasa County, where the stolen vehicles were recovered. The lorries include an Isuzu FVZ originally registered as KDQ 845T and an Isuzu FRR registration number KDL 078W.

Detectives established that the vehicles had been deliberately disguised to evade detection. The Isuzu FVZ had been fitted with counterfeit registration plates KDV 449C, while the Isuzu FRR was bearing fake plates KCA 505D, a move investigators say points to a well-planned attempt to conceal the stolen assets.

The two lorries have since been secured by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Gatanga as arrangements are made to hand them back to their rightful owners.

Meanwhile, the suspects remain in custody and are being processed ahead of their arraignment in court, as investigations continue to determine whether they are linked to other similar vehicle thefts.