Rwanda National Police (RNP) has appealed to members of the public not to keep large amounts of cash in their houses to prevent risks of theft.

The call comes in the wake of recent cases involving especially househelps, who steal large sums of money from their employers.

Latest of such robberies is the theft of €10,780 (approx. Rwf9.2 million) and Rwf100,000 by one Emmanuel Tuyishime, a house help, after he broke into his employer’s (Jean Luc Miravumba) bedroom on December 26.

All the money was recovered the following day in the vicinity of Miravumba’s residence where Tuyishime had hid it, after the former filed a theft case that led to immediate investigations into the matter.

The Central Region Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rogers Rutikanga, handed over the recovered money to Miravumba at Kicukiro Police station on Thursday, where the suspect is also currently detained.

Narrating how the money was stolen, Miravumba said: "I had sold one of my cars and decided that I would bank the money the following day...I later left home with my driver but I told him to take the car back home, lock it and give the key to my houseboy. Unfortunately I had left the keys to my bedroom in the car.”

When Miravumba got home, he couldn’t trace his bedroom keys and he slept in the guestroom.

"The following morning, I was woken up by my houseboy saying that someone had broken into my bedroom. I immediately rushed to police,” he added.

According to ACP Rutikanga, Tuyishime as the first prime suspect, was questioned and in the due course, he confessed to the crime and led investigators to where he had hid the money in a water pipe just outside the gate. 

"I am very thankful to RNP officers for the professionalism they exhibited. As soon as I informed them about the theft, they immediately started investigations that led to the recovery of all my money,” said Miravumba.

For Tuyishime, he told journalists that he knew the money was in the bedroom and he hatched a plan, broke into the bedroom, thinking that no one would suspect him.

Rutikanga, on his part, appealed to the public and the business community in particular to refrain from keeping large sums of money to prevent such crimes.

"We highly recommend that people resort to smart transaction and not keep or walk with such huge amounts as it makes them soft target for robbers,” ACP Rutikanga said.

He referred to a similar case that happened early this month where two house-helps, also in Kicukiro, stole $11, 400 and Rwf560, 000 after breaking into their employer’s bedroom.

All the money was also recovered.

"By keeping or moving with large sums of money, you are also exposing yourself but also fueling criminality,” he noted.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw