Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have recovered a high-end Mercedes-Benz GLK350d which mysteriously disappeared from a Nairobi garage.
In a statement on Wednesday, February 4, the DCI said the operation involved officers drawn from specialized investigative units working closely with local police to track down the luxury vehicle.
"A team of detectives drawn from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), Nairobi Region, and Gigiri, working hand in glove with officers from Imbirikani Police Station, has recovered a high-end, unregistered Mercedes-Benz GLK350d that had vanished without a trace from a Spring Valley garage in Nairobi," the statement read.
According to the DCI, the vehicle had been left at the garage for routine work but was later discovered missing under suspicious circumstances.
"The luxury machine had been booked into the garage for a paint job on January 30, 2026, but was later reported missing, and so was the watchman. His mobile phone was switched off, raising immediate red flags and triggering the circulation of the vehicle as stolen," the statement added.
DCI detectives explained that forensic investigations eventually led them to spot the stolen vehicle moving along the busy Mombasa Road, prompting an immediate chase.
"Through painstaking forensic trails, detectives pinpointed the Benz cruising along the busy Mombasa Road. A hot pursuit ensued, ending at a police roadblock mounted by Imbirikani officers in Kajiado South Sub-County," the statement further read.
When police attempted to verify the vehicle at the roadblock, the suspects abandoned it and fled on foot into surrounding vegetation.
"Cornered, the occupants opted for the coward’s escape. As officers closed in to verify the vehicle’s details, the suspects melted into nearby thickets, disappearing towards Oltiasika and Nosilale villages," the statement noted.
Further examination confirmed the vehicle was the one reported stolen, though efforts had been made to conceal its identity using false registration plates.
"A closer inspection revealed that the Benz matched the description of a stolen vehicle earlier reported, but had been tampered with. A fake front registration plate, KDR 003N, had been fitted to beat detection," the statement concluded.
The recovered Mercedes-Benz has been seized and escorted back to Nairobi as investigations continue.
This comes weeks after the DCI launched a manhunt for a man suspected to be at the centre of a major car import fraud scheme that allegedly targeted foreign nationals.
In a statement on Friday, January 9, the DCI said the suspect, identified as Timothy Njeru Wanjuki, is accused of using a motor vehicle import business to defraud clients through false promises, incomplete transactions, and outright failure to deliver vehicles.
"The DCI is actively pursuing Timothy Njeru Wanjuki, the director and sole shareholder of East Africa Motors Limited, in connection with multiple fraud cases involving obtaining money by false pretences," the statement read.
Investigators state that the suspect specifically targeted foreign nationals, including UN staff based in Nairobi, by offering to import vehicles that were never delivered or only partially delivered at great cost to the victims.
"The suspect allegedly targeted foreign nationals, including United Nations personnel based in Nairobi, by promising to import motor vehicles, promises that were either never fulfilled or only partially honoured after victims incurred significant additional costs," the statement added.
According to the DCI, financial records show that victims transferred large sums of money directly into accounts controlled by the suspect.
The agency explained that even in cases where vehicles were eventually imported, payments to overseas suppliers were often incomplete.
Investigations have also uncovered that the company quietly shut down its physical offices and moved operations online before authorities intervened.
"Investigations further revealed that the company's physical offices had been closed, with operations shifted online. In response to DCI action, the East Africa Motors Limited website was taken down to prevent further engagements, and the company's registration has since been cancelled," the statement further read.
The DCI said the search for the suspect is ongoing and is being supported by other investigative units, while warning the public to avoid any dealings linked to him.
"Efforts to locate and arrest Timothy Njeru Wanjuki remain ongoing, with support from other investigative units. The DCI strongly cautions the public against conducting any business transactions with Timothy Njeru Wanjuki or any entities associated with him," the statement noted.
