Nairobi: Residents raise concern over rising cases of theft targeting shoes

Residents of Nairobi's Eastlands area have raised concern over increasing cases of theft targeting footwear, often left outside at the door.

Some of the residents told Wananchi Reporting that targeted shoe theft was slowly becoming a pandemic in the estates.

Tom Karanja, a resident of Pipeline estate, told Wananchi Reporting that he recently lost his only pair of shoes – forcing him to skip work.

“The theft happened at night, around 9pm. I remember coming out of the house in the morning readying for work only to find my shoes gone,” said Karanja who lives in an apartment, together with over a hundred other tenants.

Karanja had to skip work because he could not go to work on 'floaters' -- which is all he had left.

“Ours is a huge apartment, housing hundreds of families, with all manner of people here, some are obviously thieves, always looking to steal something.

Karanja believes his priced shoes may have been sold to second hand shoe sellers – most of whom sell weather-beaten footwear at night.

Alice Awundo, a mother of three from Nairobi, says she has lost many shoes she lost count.

“They take all kinds of shoes; be it for children, men or women,” says Awuondo who lives in Embakasi.

“These people walk around the floors, combing the corridors in search of footwear left at the doors,” she said – noting that she no longer leaves hers at the door.

“Just the other day my neighbour was left feeling embarrassed after thieves stole her visitors’ shoes, a whole six pairs. This happened in the afternoon, as they were inside the house attending a chama meeting,” said Alice.

Residents say that most of the stolen shoes are sold cheaply to second hand dealers within the estates.

Residents have been asked to be more careful with their property; and where possible, keep all footwear and other valuables inside the house at all times.