Thieves Raid Kirinyaga Church, Make Off With Sound Equipment Worth More Than KSh500,000
A church in Kirinyaga County has been left counting losses of more than KSh500,000 after thieves broke into its premises and stole sound equipment and musical instruments used during worship services.
The incident occurred at ACK Gatuto Church, where the suspects reportedly forced their way into the sanctuary before disconnecting and carrying away several pieces of expensive equipment.
The break-in was discovered on Saturday, August 8, 2026, when a church member arrived to clean the sanctuary ahead of Sunday services.
Lucy Wachira, the congregant who discovered the burglary, said she immediately noticed signs that the church had been targeted.
“When I arrived, I noticed the sound boxes were empty. As I went around the church, I saw the window they had broken to gain entry. They also damaged the door while removing the equipment,” she said.
The thieves are believed to have specifically targeted the church’s sound system, with members reporting that the suspects disconnected the speakers before escaping with them.
The empty sound boxes and damaged entry points were left behind, suggesting that the burglars acted quickly after gaining access to the sanctuary.
What did the thieves steal?
According to the church’s sound technician, James Macharia, the stolen property included several speakers, an amplifier, microphones and a keyboard.
“They managed to get away with three mid-range speakers, one bass speaker, a mixer amplifier, a receiver with its four microphones, a keyboard and cables,” Macharia said.
The equipment had reportedly been acquired through contributions from members of the congregation, making the loss particularly significant for the church.
Church forced to continue services without equipment
People’s Warden Steven Mugo said the theft would have a major impact on Sunday worship, but insisted that services would continue despite the loss.
“People are used to hearing music from the sound system as well as the sermon through the speakers. We do not know how we will manage, but the service will continue,” Mugo said.
Mugo also revealed that the church had been targeted by thieves in the past, with a gate, water tank and taps among items previously stolen.
He expressed concern that criminals were increasingly targeting church property.
“It is sad that people have now turned to stealing from the house of God. We shall pray, but we are also appealing to security officers to enhance patrols in this area to curb such incidents,” he said.
The latest burglary has renewed concerns over security at places of worship in the area, with church officials calling for increased patrols and stronger security measures to protect valuable equipment.
Police have launched investigations into the incident. No arrests had been reported at the time of publication.
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