Police and Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) officials have uncovered an illegal connection to the main petroleum pipeline inside a condemned building in Migadini, Changamwe, exposing a suspected fuel theft ring in Mombasa.
The discovery was made on Monday afternoon during a joint operation involving police officers, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) personnel and KPC technical staff.
One suspect reportedly escaped during the operation. Police have launched a manhunt for those believed to be behind the suspected siphoning operation.
Preliminary investigations indicate that a long pipe ran from the condemned building to a valve connected to the main KPC pipeline, providing a route through which fuel could be diverted.
Investigators suspect the connection had been operating for several months. However, the exact period and the quantity of fuel allegedly stolen have yet to be established.
The discovery raises questions about how the suspects accessed the pipeline, installed the connection and allegedly operated without detection.
It also puts scrutiny on surveillance along the pipeline and how a condemned building came to house infrastructure linked to suspected fuel theft.
Kenyan investigators have previously linked crackdowns on illegal fuel operations to efforts to prevent fires and curb the distribution of adulterated petroleum products.
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