Alert shopkeeper's hint nets two Iranians over Sh15,000 theft

Two Iranian nationals are cooling their heels at Thika Police Station after detectives moved in to rescue them from an angry crowd following what police described as a botched con job that allegedly cost a local shopkeeper Sh15,000.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the suspects, identified as Heidari Mansoior Eslam,56, and Babaei Ahmad Mirzaaga,40, were arrested after a sharp-eyed mobile phone dealer grew suspicious of their conduct inside his shop.

The two had walked in posing as customers interested in buying a phone.

But as they browsed, the shopkeeper’s instincts kicked in.

He recalled a similar incident at a nearby shop about a month earlier, where money had vanished under unclear circumstances.

Rather than confront them outright, the shopkeeper made a quiet call to a colleague--the very trader who had reported losing Sh15,000 in the earlier incident.

When the colleague arrived, he immediately identified the pair as the same foreigners he alleged had swindled him weeks earlier.

Crowd gathers, police intervene

As word spread, members of the public quickly gathered, and tensions rose.

Police said the situation threatened to spiral into mob action before officers intervened and took the two men into custody.

Detectives said the swift response not only secured the suspects but also prevented possible mob justice.

“The suspects were rescued from an irate public and escorted to Thika Police Station,” the DCI said.

The two men are currently being held as investigations continue, with police processing them ahead of their arraignment in court.

DCI officers cautioned traders to remain vigilant, noting that some fraud suspects rely on distraction, familiarity and confidence to lower their targets’ guard.

Police also urged members of the public to report suspected criminal activity promptly rather than taking the law into their own hands.