Mitamboni residents in Kathiani, Machakos County, have demonstrated against what they termed heightened insecurity in the area.
The residents in their tens on Wednesday took to the streets after suspected criminals broke into five shops at Mitamboni shopping centre in Kathiani Subcounty, stole goods of unknown value, and torched hardware.
The incident, according to the demonstrators, happened on Tuesday night.
The protesters barricaded major roads with stones and twigs and lit bonfires using tyres and twigs.
Motorists who were caught up in the melee struggled to manoeuvre as they avoided evading demonstrators' wraths.
"Last night, Machete-wielding robbers broke into five shops, including a hardware and stole property of uknown value before razing the hardware despite a police post being 20 metres away from the shopping centre," Mitamboni Traders Association chairman Samuel Muthama said.
Muthama spoke to reporters during the demonstrations at Mitamboni shopping centre on Wednesday.
Machakos county police commander Patrick Lobolia confirmed the robbery incident, stating that they have launched investigations on the same.
"The residents held the protests due to insecurity problems in the area. The robberies happened yesterday night. We have intensified security by deploying more police officers not only in Mitamboni shopping centre, but in the entire Kathiani subcounty," Lobolia said.
He spoke to the Star on the phone on Wednesday.
Lobolia said they were doing everything possible to arrest the criminals who broke into the shops, stole valuables, and torched the hardware.
"I'm calling on members of the public to give us information to help arrest the suspects," Lobolia said.