One arrested as police thwart attempted burglary in Kisumu
By Mustafa Juma, May 8, 2026Police officers in Kisumu County have arrested a person of interest after foiling an attempted burglary at Holo Trading Centre in Kisumu West Sub-County.
The National Police Service (NPS), in a statement issued via social media on Friday, May 8, 2026, said the officers from Holo Police Station responded to a distress call in the early hours of Friday morning after a security guard reported suspicious activity at a business premises.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers reportedly found the person of interest on the rooftop of the building after dismantling part of the roofing in an attempt to gain entry.
“Officers from Holo Police Station in Kisumu West Sub-County successfully thwarted an attempted burglary in the early hours of Friday morning, resulting in the arrest of one suspect,” the NPS stated.
“The officers responded to a distress call from a security guard and, upon arrival at the scene, discovered a suspect on the rooftop of a premises who had already dismantled a section of the roofing to gain entry.”
Police said the person of interest was armed with a sword and initially refused to surrender when ordered to do so by the responding officers.
Authorities stated that she initially charged at the officers before eventually surrendering.
Weapons recovered
The person of interest was immediately arrested and taken into custody pending arraignment in court.
Police also recovered a sword and a metal bar believed to have been used during the attempted break-in. The items were secured as exhibits to support investigations and prosecution.
“The suspect, found armed with a sword, ignored initial orders to surrender and charged at the responding officers but eventually surrendered. She was immediately arrested and taken into custody pending arraignment, while a sword and a metal bar were secured as exhibits,” the statement reads in part.
The NPS has commended the security guard for alertness and praised the patrol officers for their quick response, saying the intervention helped prevent possible loss of property.
“The National Police Service commends the vigilance of the security personnel and the swift response of the patrol team in preventing the loss of property,” police said in the statement.
Rising concern over break-ins
The incident comes amid continued police efforts to address cases of burglary and break-ins targeting businesses and homes in various parts of the country.
The Kisumu incident comes days after police in Embu County arrested one person of interest and recovered a cache of suspected stolen items following an intelligence-led operation targeting a robbery network that had been under investigation for weeks.
The NPS, in a statement shared via X on Sunday, May 3, 2026, said the breakthrough came after officers conducted a coordinated raid within Embu Town, acting on credible leads linking a local shop to a series of robbery-with-violence incidents reported by residents and business owners.
The Embu incident came a day after police in Mombasa arrested a person of interest linked to a recent violent incident near Trend Villa Bar, following an intelligence-led operation targeting organised criminal gangs operating within the coastal city.
The person of interest, believed to be associated with the notorious “Panga Boys” gang, was arrested in Nyali Sub-county after officers intensified surveillance and tracking operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks responsible for attacks on residents and social spaces.