Nairobi News

Blogger Betty Waitherero has shared a series of tweets narrating her ordeal with laptop thieves in a Nairobi matatu.

Interestingly, even her precautionary measure securing her laptop on her laptop backpack infront as opposed to carrying it on her back, as most people do, failed to deter the thieves who still easily distracted her with a search for seat belt.

Below is the narration in her own word:

“My laptop is with Jesus”.

A thread on how I was robbed inside a matatu today, while surrounded by people, and yet I still have my bag. ?

I don’t know how many they really were or when they started following me, bt I counted 4 thugs. I have been informed they were at least 15 ?

So I carry my laptop backpack slung on my front, to ensure it doesn’t get picked from my back.

That doesn’t work btw.

This morning I was headed to my client’s office in Karen. Was already late, was sure of where my belongings were. I enter 111. Mind my biz.

4 guys enter. 2 sit behind me, 2 in front. 5th guy sits next to me. Two guys behind start telling me to put on my seat belt. There are none.

JUNK OF A LAPTOP

I ignore the seat belt story. Keep minding my biz. The guy behind me starts claiming there is a belt under the seat. I turn to look. Nothing.

I turn back and notice my bag is open. My laptop is missing! I try to yell, the guy next to me gets aggressive. guys in front shuka at KNH.

This dude next to me is blocking me, growling. The guys behind stand. I am surrounded. I shuka, trying to get away, maybe follow the thief.

They follow me! I realize the danger of trying to yell or chase the guy, I could easily be assaulted.

So. With a heavy heart, I let it go. ?

I call my colleague, he advises me to report the incident at the cops at KNH. I am now tense, I don’t know if I am still being followed.

So. My laptop was old. It had keys missing. It would shut down randomly it really needed servicing. I had planned to replace it anyway.

That laptop was a junk, but it was my junk. I now know they can’t get more than 10k for it. ??? that’s more than I would pay for it btw.

But my thing is, how much peril I was in, while inside that matatu. How many times I have heard of people being violently mugged in ma-3s.

At the cop station they told me another guy’s laptop was stolen last night and they beat him up. INSIDE the matatu!

SAFETY FIRST

My lesson today is, there is actually nothing you can do when surrounded. You just gotta let them take your shit, and hope they don’t stab u.

The laptop is more valuable in pieces btw so I guess they killed it by now. My laptop is now with Jesus. Fr. But alhamdulilah am safe.

I still have my bag, my money, my phone. Cloud and gmail for my documents.

I am not injured aside from my sense of security.

Blessings. ??

Apparently this gang is 10-15 people at least, all targeting 1 person. I didn’t have a chance. And guys, if this happens to u, don’t fight.

There are gangs operating on Ngong rd matatus and on Waiyaki Way/Uhuru highway. They fill the matatu.

My 2 cents?

Let them take the shit.

I am safe that’s what matters. Not even shaken anymore. The ninja in me is still pissed but the survivor in me is applauding. Safety first.