Wednesday, February
04, 2026 - A luxury Mercedes‑Benz GLE350d Coupe has been dramatically
recovered by authorities, days after it was stolen from a dealership in
Westlands, Nairobi.
The high‑end SUV, freshly imported and yet to be registered,
was snatched on the night of Saturday, January 31st, sparking alarm
across social media as the dealership appealed for public help.
Investigators suspected the thieves had fitted fake
registration plates to disguise the vehicle, raising fears that it could be
swiftly resold or smuggled out of the country.
Given its pristine condition, the dealership worried that the
car might vanish into international smuggling networks.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) launched an
intensive operation, acting on intelligence that traced the Mercedes to south
of Nairobi.
By early Wednesday morning, detectives tracked the vehicle
to Imbirikani in Kajiado County, a notorious crossing point near the Kenya‑Tanzania
border often linked to cross‑border smuggling.
Police engaged the suspects in a tense high‑speed chase as
they attempted to cross into Tanzania.
The pursuit ended with officers intercepting the vehicle
before it could disappear across the border.
By then, the car had already been fitted with registration
plates, giving it the appearance of being legitimately registered.
The dealership later confirmed the recovery, while
authorities announced investigations are ongoing to determine whether the theft
was random or part of a wider criminal syndicate.
Car theft remains a persistent crime in Kenya, with
thousands of vehicles stolen annually.
Data from the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) shows Toyota is the most targeted brand, accounting for 54.9% of reported thefts, followed by Isuzu, Mazda, Nissan and Mitsubishi.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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