Robbers waylay Ol Kalou Dairy managers, steal cash on transit

Ol Kalou Dairy Limited inNyandarua. Since the beginning of the year, the dairy plant has been attacked by robbers four times. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • The cash on transit was meant to pay thousands of dairy farmers who were already waiting at the company’s cash office.

  • But like the previous incidents, police believe the crime was stage-managed and are holding the two managers for interrogation.

  • Unlike the past robberies where no one was arraigned in court, Mr Ndolo said this time things will be different.

Armed robbers on Tuesday staged a dramatic robbery targeting Ol Kalou Dairy limited, the fourth robbery this year. 

But unlike in previous incidents where the criminals walked into the strong room taking hours to break the safe and stores, Tuesday's thugs waylaid two company managers who had just withdrawn Sh0.5 million from a bank in Ol Kalou.

The cash on transit was meant to pay thousands of dairy farmers who were already waiting at the company’s cash office.

The two managers claimed that a four member gang armed with guns waylaid them a few meters from the company offices. 

STAGE-MANAGED

But like the previous incidents, police believe the crime was stage-managed and are holding the two managers for interrogation.

Two weeks ago, armed police officers were assigned to guard the premises on a 24-hour basis, but the criminals turned out to be smarter. 

In Tuesday’s incident, Chege Kamau and Peter Gitau ( acting manager and accountant respectively), claimed that robbers blocked their way a short distance from the company officers and shot at the car before escaping with the cash.

The two have been detained by the police to assist with investigations. 

NO SIGN

"We visited the scene and found the car's window damaged but there was no sign of bullet." said Ndolo Ngao, the deputy OCPD.

Mr Ndolo also noted that several people were interrogated, including officers guarding the premises but none of them heard the gunshots.

He also raised concerns that the security personnel was not consulted or informed that the two were heading to the bank to withdraw cash which is a security requirement.

The police officer also wondered why the managers took hours to report. 

FOURTH ROBBERY

“The robbery was reported nearly two hours later yet we are a short distance from the scene of crime and company premises," he said adding that a quick report would have enabled them (police) to pursue and trap the thugs.

Unlike the past robberies where no one was arraigned in court, Mr Ndolo said this time things will be different.

In the first robbery, thugs raided the company stores stealing equipment worth millions of shillings.

In May, a second robbery took place where the criminals jumped through a window at night and spent six hours breaking the safe where the stole over Sh4 million.

And in July, the criminals used similar fashion to break into the strong room and safe from where they escaped with Sh35, 000.