employing new methods to mug or rob unsuspecting individuals. The
incident described below was submitted by a UN Staff member through the
Agency Security Advisor:
Subject: New Tactics thugs are using.. Please be careful..
Yesterday afternoon I went through an experience, I would not wish any other person to go through.
My younger brother was mugged at Baricho Road just behind the Nakumatt
Uhuru Highway Supermarket, at around 12 noon, by thugs who were
pretending to be athletes jogging along that road. They stole his
phone too and used the same to call my elder brother who incidentally
had just parted with the younger one about 30 minutes earlier.
The thugs scrolled through this stolen phone and noticed that the last
call made was from his brother as he had saved it as brother. They
called my elder brother claiming to be policemen from Langata Station
and that my younger brother had been hit by a vehicle and had died
instantly and that they were on their way to City Morgue to drop his
body there, so they wanted my elder brother to link up with them at a
point along Uhuru Highway, near Bunyala Road, where they had parked
their vehicle with the remains of my brother before proceeding to city
mortuary. (Please note..the notorious spot where the KQ pilot was
mugged).
Since they spoke with a lot a confidence just like the Police do, my
brother did not suspect anything. So my bother called me and a few
other people. We gathered at a point in Upper Hill to figure out our
next move; either to go to the accident site and confirm or to join the
said Police where they had told my elder brother to meet them or, just
plan on the next move to take.
Just by sheer luck and God's grace and indeed a good coincidence, even
before we could think of going to view the body and confirm as they had
said, I got a call from a simu ya jamii number and it was my younger
brother whom we had been told was killed by the car accident. He said
he was safe and that the muggers only took his phone. He was calling to
inform us just in case we call and we don't get him on his phone that
we know he is just fine.
As you can imagine this was a huge relieve that not only confirmed that
he was fine and alive but also that it was a planned plot by the
muggers that somebody goes to the said Bunyala Junction and of course
get mugged or who knows...
I thought of the many other people who would be tricked this way and I
thought we could play it safe by letting lots of people get to know of
this trick being played in Nairobi.
Anyone could easily fall for this trap and the more we forward this the more people will know and avoid such tricks.
I also learnt some few lessons:
a. Avoid saving in your phone books names as brother, sister, mom,
dad, wife, husband and the like, it gives them an edge should you loose
your phone.
b. Never rush to meet any stranger telling you to meet them especially
in risky places which you could easily identify as a risk.
c. Always memorize at least two most important numbers which you can
call from any other phone should something like this get hold of you.
d. Always try and get means to alert people who are close to your once
you loose your phone. Ensure to call at least the two numbers and
alert them that your phone is stolen and that you are safe in case such
calls come to their phones.
e. Finally, do not resist if confronted by thugs, especially if you are alone, they might end up hurting you.
UN Police Liaison Officer
Diplomatic Police Unit
Gigiri, Nairobi.
