Detectives have arrested a 43-year-old househelp, Marydina Anupi John, after a daring heist that saw her disappear with her employer’s firearm, foreign currency, and other valuables from a residence in the city’s affluent Kileleshwa estate.
The incident occurred on the evening of November 3, 2025, when the homeowner briefly stepped out. Upon return, the employer discovered that a portable safe containing a Glock 19 pistol, two magazines loaded with 44 rounds of ammunition, USD 1,950, €600, Sh5,000, jewelry, land title deeds, and several electronic gadgets – was missing. The total value of the stolen cash alone was estimated at Ksh.348,000.
Detectives from Kilimani Police Station traced the suspect to a hideout in Kawangware, where she was arrested following a targeted operation. According to Detective Simon Ihaji, “We believe the suspect did not act alone. Investigations are ongoing to recover all stolen items and identify her accomplices.”
CCTV footage from the compound was instrumental in cracking the case. The recordings reportedly showed Marydina walking out of the gate carrying a carton box believed to contain the stolen safe. Security guards on duty failed to raise an alarm, assuming she was running an errand for her employer.
Principal Magistrate Margret Murage ordered that the suspect remain in police custody until November 24, 2025, as investigations continue. “Given the nature of the items stolen particularly the firearm, this case requires thorough scrutiny,” she noted in court.
Police have since recovered the stolen pistol and intensified investigations amid growing concerns about insider crimes targeting Nairobi’s high-end neighborhoods. Authorities are urging homeowners to conduct background checks on domestic workers to curb similar incidents.
