Kenya, April 15 -- A Nairobi-based car dealer identified as Robert Bundi Mugaa is said to be locked up at Kilimani Police Station after being caught in a brazen theft involving a luxury vehicle worth Ksh 33 million.

Mugaa, who has a trail of fraudulent deals behind him, is accused by Adeel Rashid Mohamed of stealing a brand new Range Rover from a yard along Ngong Road after feigning interest in purchasing the unit.

He tricked the seller's representative by claiming he had a prospective buyer who wished to inspect the car before making payment.

Unbeknownst to the sales manager, Mugaa had already collected Ksh 21 million from another buyer in Westlands back in December, promising to import the same model.

The Westlands-based buyer reportedly transferred Ksh 11.5 million to Mugaa's account and surrendered a Toyota vehicle valued at Ksh 9.5 million as part of the trade-in agreement.

He had been assured that the car would be delivered by April 8, but Mugaa later sent images of the vehicle and claimed he was in Mombasa clearing it with customs, requesting two more days.

Although Mugaa operates under a registered company name, Silverstar Motor Ltd, police say no physical car yard was found during their investigations.

On the day of the heist, he convinced the yard's representative to accompany him to Shell Petrol Station on Dennis Pritt Road, under the pretext of meeting the client.

After claiming the buyer had been delayed, Mugaa persuaded the salesman to drive with him towards State House Road, saying the buyer had changed the meeting point to Gem Suites.

Once at the premises, they parked and entered the restaurant to wait.

Mugaa soon excused himself, saying the client was calling from the parking area.

He vanished.

The sales manager found an empty space where the vehicle had been parked and rushed to Kilimani Police Station to file a report.

Detectives later tracked Mugaa to Runda and arrested him, but the car was missing.

The stolen unit was recovered in Westlands, where Mugaa had delivered it to a client-possibly the same person he defrauded months earlier.

Mugaa is being held at Kilimani Police Station after the Kibra Magistrate's Court granted detectives 14 days to complete investigations into his criminal dealings.

The case has since drawn in at least three more complainants who claim to have fallen victim to similar schemes linked to Mugaa.

Police intend to charge him with theft and obtaining money by false pretence.

Kilimani police commander Patricia Yegon confirmed the investigation is active and indicated the possibility of further charges depending on the outcome of ongoing inquiries.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.