A suspected thief in Witeithie survives death by a whisker in Sunday morning cyber café robbery attempt. [Photo: crimescene.com]A suspected thief was on Sunday morning beaten up and set ablaze by an irate mob in Molo Estate, Juja sub-county.According to eyewitnesses, the man who is currently admitted at Thika Level 5 Hospital Hospital with severe burns, was allegedly part of a gang that was caught trying to break into a cyber café just before daybreak.“The neighbours heard the noises and raised alarm. Unfortunately for him, some bodaboda operators who were nearby responded immediately and he was cornered before he could escape," Simon Githaiga, a shopkeeper in the area said on Sunday.A bodaboda operator Philip Mwai said that his colleagues who were ferrying clients responded immediately and were able to apprehend one of the criminals."It is the members of the public who descended on him, beating him senselessly while demanding that he disclose the identities of his accomplices," he said.Administration Police (AP) officers from Witeithie who arrived at the crime scene managed to recover an ID card of one of the suspects from indicating that the bearer hails from Murang'a County.Residents believe that the thugs are behind the escalating rate of crime in Witeithie Estate and its environs who are said to be working in one of the area car washes during the day but turn criminals during the night.Last week, Zachary Mugo (Kairitu), a truck driver, and his colleague John Njenga were attacked immediately after parking their lorry near a certain nightclub in Witeithie.The thugs, who were armed with crude weapons beat them senselessly before robbing them cash and other personal valuables which included shoes.Juja Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner Muthama Wambua has urged residents to make use of the Nyumba Kumi Initiative to help fight with the menace.“You ought to give us information regarding these marauding thugs so that they can be arrested and prosecuted according to the law,” the DCC said.

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