A wave of sophisticated livestock theft is casting a long shadow over dairy farming in Kiambu County.

In response, National Police Service says it has from April 1, 2026, switched from reactive policing to a targeted, intelligence-led strategy restore security and protection of lives and property.

For residents of Igegania village in Gatundu North, early April came with a disturbing pattern. Families reported a series of “silent raids,” where livestock vanished at night while entire families were unusually deep asleep.

From April 4, accounts suggest that criminals were using sedatives, possibly sprayed into homes, to incapacitate victims before stealing their animals.

Among the hardest hit was Ann Njeri, a widow whose dairy farm supports her children’s education. In an attack reported on April 4, assailants entered her compound and slaughtered goats.

“We didn’t hear a thing,” one residents recounted at a local security meeting. “The theft happened while we were fast asleep. We only discovered the losses at dawn. They are using something to make us sleep so they can take our livelihoods.”

In response to the growing threat, much of it previously underreported, Inspector General Douglas Kanja launched a specialised unit on April 2, 2026, under the Administration Police Service Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU) stationed at the Del Monte sector.

While traditionally tasked with safeguarding key installations, the unit is now deployed as a strategic hub to dismantle organised criminal networks operating across Kiambu and Gatundu.

According to NPS officials, the move was informed by concerns raised during the “Jukwaa la Usalama” Kiambu Chapter, a public security forum where residents called for a more coordinated response.

“This initiative will enhance surveillance, strengthen rapid response, and ensure a sustained law enforcement presence in the area,” NPS said during the launch. IG Kanja added: “We are working closely with communities to address emerging security challenges in a structured manner.”

At grassroots level, authorities are strengthening the Nyumba Kumi community policing framework. Plans are underway to directly link local alert systems with the specialised Del Monte unit, creating real-time information flow between residents and security agencies.

By integrating intelligence-led policing with community vigilance, authorities hope to curb criminal networks that increasingly threaten Kiambu’s dairy sector – and restore a sense of safety to affected communities.

• A Tell Media / KNA report /By Faustine Agnes