{UAH} SHIT HAPPENS: Westgate shops lose millions of shillings in looting
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4:35 AM |
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Westgate shops lose millions of shillings in looting
WESTGATE Shopping Mall was heavily looted following last Saturday's attack.
Angry shop owners were yesterday asking security agents to explain how their goods were stolen after the terrorists attacked the mall.
Many business owners on the first, second and third floors managed to close up their premises during the initial stages of the attack but were surprised to find them broken into and vandalized.
"There is a crisis here because the owners of some of the shops that dealt in valuable goods and who have been allowed inside the building have shocked to find that their premises were looted by unknown people. They are demanding to be told what happened and who took their goods," a security officer told the Star after shop owners visited the mall on Thursday.
The Rado watch shop has been swept clean.
A jewelery shop lost all its gold, silver and gem stone collection although it had been secured and closed.
"It is unfortunate that our premises were looted during the attack. It is dark in the building but all the expensive jewelery and watches on display have been stolen. They took the best and left the few that are not very expensive. I don't think the attackers could have done this because it is obvious that they came specifically to steal. It would be absurd if the people entrusted to protect Kenyans are the ones who stole from our business premises," one shop owner said.
An electronics shop lost all its iPads, iPhones and mobile phones.
The casino on the third floor reportedly lost over one million shillings but police are investigating whether employees or security agents involved in the rescue operation stole the money.
People who hid in Barclays Bank on the second floor to escape the gunmen allegedly grabbed money from the tills before they ran out.
The government is yet to allow the business owners to fully access the building as the exercise to retrieve bodies from the rubble is still continuing.
There are unconfirmed reports that televisions and electronic equipment were taken from Nakumatt but it is impossible to verify as the supermarket is now buried under rubble.
Some reports also said that the six ATM machines in the mall had also been broken into.
The CCTV cameras in Westgate went off on Monday after power to the mall was disconnected during the operation to flush out the attackers.
On Tuesday Constable Benson Gachuhi Kihenjo attached to Spring Valley Police station was charged in court after he was allegedly found with a blood stained wallet, credit cards, cheque books and identification documents belonging to victims of the Westgate attack.
Meanwhile, people who had abandoned their cars last Saturday were yesterday being allowed them from Nakumatt Ukay and from outside Westgate.
Hundreds of other vehicles remain trapped within the premises and many have been burned or damaged during the fighting.
City Mortuary attendants and the Chief Government Pathologists Dr Johansen Oduor were called to the scene to assist in the process of retrieving the bodies and reports indicated that 100 body bags had been ordered
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