Police in Nairobi probe suspected Co-op bank-linked heist after Runda man loses Sh950,000
Nairobi police are investigating a suspected bank-related heist after a prominent Runda Gardens resident reported losing Sh950,000 minutes after withdrawing the cash from a local bank in Gigiri, raising fresh concerns over insider involvement in cash-withdrawal robberies.
Professor Ratemo Michilieka told police that he withdrew the money from Cooperative Bank’s Warwick Centre branch in Gigiri. The cash was intended to pay contractors working at his residence in the upscale Runda Gardens estate.
According to his statement, the professor drove directly from the bank to the construction site and parked his vehicle approximately 15 metres from his gate. Moments later, a loud bang alerted him and a worker, identified as Mwaura, to trouble. Upon inspection, they discovered that the left-side window of the car had been smashed.
A black bag containing the Sh950,000 in cash and a cheque book had been stolen. The incident occurred in broad daylight and within minutes of the withdrawal, a factor investigators say strongly suggests the attackers had prior knowledge of the cash movement.
The professor and his worker conducted a quick search of the surrounding area but were unable to trace the suspects, who are believed to have fled on foot or in a waiting vehicle.
Given the precision and timing of the attack, detectives are exploring the possibility of collusion involving bank staff or individuals with access to customer transaction information. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from the bank, nearby roads and residential security cameras to establish whether the professor was followed from the banking hall.
Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Kenya Police Service (KPS) Gigiri have visited both the crime scene and the bank as part of the ongoing probe. No arrests have been made so far.
Police have urged residents to exercise caution when handling large cash withdrawals, advising the use of electronic transfers where possible and heightened vigilance when leaving banking halls.
The case adds to a growing list of similar robberies in Nairobi, where victims are targeted shortly after withdrawing large sums—fueling fears of organised syndicates operating with inside information.
