Armed Robbers Nabbed in Timau After Violent M-Pesa Shop Heist; AK-47 Rifle Recovered [Video of robbery]
Timau, Meru County – June 5, 2025 — A brazen daylight robbery at an M-Pesa shop in Timau has resulted in the arrest of two suspects and the recovery of an AK-47 assault rifle, in what authorities describe as a significant breakthrough in combating armed crime in the region.
According to reports from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the robbery occurred on the evening of Wednesday, June 4, when three armed individuals, dressed in jungle military uniforms, stormed an M-Pesa shop in Timau, Meru County. CCTV footage captured the suspects ordering the shop attendant to open the door. When she hesitated, one of the robbers fired at her, but she narrowly escaped injury by fleeing into a nearby room.
Undeterred, the assailants shattered a glass shelf and stole at least 15 smartphones before attempting to flee. In the chaos, a customer approaching the shop was shot in the right hip, while a second victim was injured in the left arm by a stray bullet. Both victims were rushed to hospital and are receiving medical attention.
As panic gripped the quiet town, DCI detectives in Buuri East launched a rapid response operation. Within hours, two of the suspects were apprehended. Moses Kayiok Noomeyo was found hiding in a nearby house, while Christian Saina Korosian was captured while fleeing from a getaway vehicle—a Toyota Vitz, registration number KCE 435Q—abandoned close to the crime scene.
Inside the vehicle, police recovered jungle green trousers identical to those worn by the robbers in the CCTV footage. Investigators also linked the duo to a similar robbery earlier the same day at Maritati Centre in Timau, where another M-Pesa shop was targeted.
A major development in the investigation was the recovery of an AK-47 rifle and ammunition believed to have been used in the attacks. The discovery has raised serious questions about how such military-grade weapons continue to fall into civilian hands. The AK-47 is typically reserved for state security agencies, and its presence in the hands of criminals is seen as a dangerous escalation in Kenya’s security challenges.
The suspects remain in custody and are set to be arraigned as police intensify the hunt for a third accomplice who remains at large. The recovered smartphones, weapon, and vehicle have been secured as evidence.
The violent nature of the attack has sparked renewed concern over Kenya’s rising crime rate, particularly in rural areas. A 2024 report on crime in Kenya indicated a national crime rate of 3.46 per 100,000 people, with robbery and theft among the top reported offenses.
On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the incident sparked mixed reactions. User @nguma__ expressed relief, posting, “I’m glad they were arrested,” while @Jatelo_Owea remarked, “Crazy times, crime daily,” echoing a broader national anxiety about the state of public safety.
While the swift arrests may offer a measure of reassurance to Timau residents, the incident underscores the urgent need for enhanced policing, community vigilance, and tighter controls on firearms to curb the growing wave of violent robberies in Kenya.
