NAIROBI, Kenya — It could have been a scene from a crime thriller. But for one young suspect, it played out in real life — and ended in cuffs.
A 19-year-old man was arrested along the Eastern Bypass in Nairobi after he unknowingly walked back into the very scene of a robbery he was suspected of committing earlier. Police say he had a loaded pistol tucked into his sock.
According to investigators, the initial robbery happened shortly before the arrest. Two men on a motorcycle had attacked a group stranded with a broken-down vehicle, making off with their mobile phones.
“As officers were still at the location following the incident, the same motorbike came back,” said a senior police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to the press. “It dropped off a passenger some distance away. He then approached the scene on foot.”
The suspect, police say, tried to blend in—pretending to help the motorists. But his act fell apart quickly. Officers noticed him bending down, claiming to adjust his shoe.
“That’s when things started to look suspicious,” the officer added. “They ordered him to stop and raise his hands. He complied without a fight.”
When they searched him, officers found a Retay Falcon pistol in his sock. It was loaded with three rounds of 9mm ammunition.
The teenager was taken into custody on the spot. His alleged accomplice, believed to be the motorcycle rider, fled the scene and is still at large.
Authorities now suspect the man had returned to rob the same victims again—perhaps unaware that police were still nearby.
“This could have turned deadly,” said a local resident, who lives near the stretch of road and witnessed part of the commotion. “Thankfully, the officers acted fast.”
Police have launched a search for the second suspect. Meanwhile, the 19-year-old is being held at a Nairobi police station as detectives continue their investigation.
No one was injured in the incident.
Officials are urging motorists stranded on busy roads to remain alert and avoid accepting help from strangers, especially at night.
“Criminals often take advantage of breakdowns,” the police spokesperson said. “We’re increasing patrols along the bypass and other vulnerable areas.”
The case is a stark reminder of how quickly crime can spiral—and how even a small misstep can lead suspects straight into the arms of the law.
