DCI Arrest Vandal Accused Of Causing Blackouts To Thika Residents For Weeks

The items were believed to have been vandalized within the Makongeni area of Kiambu County.

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Dec 18, 2023 - 19:20 Updated: Dec 18, 2023 - 19:22
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DCI Arrest Vandal Accused Of Causing Blackouts To Thika Residents For Weeks
A transformer vandal arrested as suspected stolen properties belonging to Kenya Power were recovered on December 18, 2023. /DCI

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a 27-year-old man suspected of having vandalised Kenya Power equipment to the point of plunging residents of Thika, Kiambu County into numerous blackouts.

In a statement, DCI revealed that Thika West detectives raided the home of the suspected transformer vandal and found a cache of suspected stolen properties of Kenya Power, operating as KPLC in its ticker.

The items were believed to have been vandalized within the Makongeni area of Kiambu County.

Suspected stolen properties belonging to Kenya Power recovered on December 18, 2023. /DCI

140L of transformer oil, pole climbers, 9 sets of customer interface units, a winch, a KPLC apron, assorted transformer bolts and nuts were recovered.

A roll of copper cable, a handheld drill, ropes, a sack of transformer laminators and a Tuktuk Reg no. KTWA 486Z also formed part of the recoveries.

"Denis Karanja, 27, (suspect) is believed to be part of a wider gang of vandals who lurk in poorly lit streets, before vandalizing transformers for the coveted oil and cables, consequently leaving the local wananchi in darkness for weeks," stated the DCI in part.

On November 29, detectives seized over 1,020kg of copper cables at a godown in Nairobi's Enterprise Road and arrested one suspect.

This followed increased cases of transformer vandalism, a risky illicit affair that DCI stated had left scores electrocuted.

The operation was carried out at a scrap metal dealer's facility known as Shallian, which is located along Enterprise Road of Gilgil Road in Nairobi.

The suspect was taken into custody. DCI indicated that the search for other known accomplices in the area is ongoing.

Beyond posing the danger of electrocution, transformer vandalism results in financial losses to the Company in the form of lost opportunity for electricity sales and allocation of additional financial resources to replace the vandalized units.

Kenya Power engineers at work on a transformer. /FILE

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