Detectives Arrest Househelps Linked to Ksh. 2.6 Million Theft in Thika and Nairobi

A househelp at the centre of a Ksh. 700,000 theft in Thika West Sub-County has been arrested alongside her accomplices, in a case that has exposed a wider web of domestic worker-related thefts across Nairobi and its environs.

The incident, reported at Makongeni Police Station Thika, occurred on April 7, 2026, when a woman returned home to find Ksh. 700,000 missing from her wardrobe. The cash had reportedly been kept safely a day earlier, intended for the purchase of a parcel of land.

According to the police, the woman had left for work that morning, leaving her two children under the care of a househelp. However, upon returning in the evening, she found the domestic worker missing. 

A quick check confirmed her fears, the money had vanished and efforts to reach the suspect by phone proved futile as it had been switched off.

Detectives launched investigations that led them to Tala in Machakos County, where the suspect was believed to have taken refuge at her boyfriend’s residence. The boyfriend was later tracked to Kitengela, where he had allegedly used part of the stolen money to purchase a red TVS motorcycle.

Police arrested the boyfriend and recovered the motorcycle, which is now being held at Kitengela Police Station. A search on him also led to the recovery of Ksh. 52,250, suspected to be part of the stolen cash.

The suspect later guided officers back to Tala, where the househelp was found hiding in a lodge and was subsequently arrested. Police recovered Ksh.197,000 from her possession, along with assorted newly purchased clothes and packaging for an Itel A24 Pro mobile phone, although the handset itself was not found.

Further investigations revealed that part of the stolen money had been transferred via mobile money. The boyfriend is said to have sent Ksh. 44,000 to his sister and Ksh. 24,000 to his mother. The sister was also arrested as police widened the probe into the flow of the stolen funds.

All three suspects are currently being held at Thika Police Station as investigations continue.

In a separate but related incident in Nairobi, detectives arrested another domestic worker suspected of stealing USD. 15,000 (approximately Ksh. 1.9 million) from her employer, an American national in Kilimani.

The theft, reported on April 6, prompted swift investigations by officers, who later tracked the suspect to Raila Estate in Kawangware. During the arrest, police recovered USD. 1,050 believed to be part of the stolen money.

Authorities also seised several identification documents, including three ID cards, whose ownership and origin are now under investigation, according to Kilimani Police boss Patricia Yegon.

Police say the two incidents highlight a growing concern over theft cases involving domestic workers, often targeting large sums of cash kept within homes. Investigations into both cases are ongoing as authorities work to recover more of the stolen money and establish whether additional suspects may be involved.