Car dealer arrested for stealing rival’s Sh33 million Range Rover in deal

A car dealer was arrested over claims he stole a business rival’s Sh33 million Range Rover in a deal gone bad.

The suspect was arrested on Sunday after snatching the Range Rover from another dealer in an attempt to settle a pending debt.

He was presented before a Kibera Court on Monday, where magistrate Samson Temu allowed police to hold him for 14 days to complete investigations into his activities.

According to the miscellaneous application filed in court, police intend to charge him with the offences of theft and obtaining money by false pretence.  

A complainant told police the suspect had expressed interest in the car, which was initially being offered at Sh34 million.

The complainant, identified as Rashid Mohamed, referred him to his sales manager on April 10 at Alvis Motors along Ngong Road, where he requested to be allowed to drive the car to show the client.

But the salesperson offered to accompany him to the said site where the buyer was waiting along Dennis Pritt Road.

Two attempts to locate the said interested buyer did not bear fruit.

Come Friday, the suspect again said there was an interested buyer before they drove the luxury car to a restaurant along State House Road.

There, according to the complaint, the suspect managed to sneak out with the car and delivered it to Westlands, where an apparent client who had paid him Sh21 million was waiting.

This was as they had a chat and ordered food at the joint. The suspect, according to police, excused himself while on the phone and vanished.

The sales agent realised the car was missing from where they had parked it and rushed to Kilimani police station, where a report was made.

Police later traced the suspect to Runda and the car to a parking yard in Westlands, where it was picked up by the Kilimani police station pending probe.

Kilimani police commander Patricia Yegon said they are investigating the saga.

She added that they want to know if there are more complaints of a similar nature.

This was after three more complainants emerged to make claims against the suspect.

“A team is pursuing the matter and will take the necessary action. We have permission from the court to detain him for now,” he said.

Cases of fraud in car deals have been on the rise amid police efforts to solve them.