Coffee growers in Gichugu, Kirinyaga County, are raising alarm over an increase in theft targeting their farms, saying criminals are now stealing not only ripe coffee cherries but also uprooting entire coffee plants before disappearing with them.

The farmers claim most of the incidents occur on Sundays when many residents are away attending church services.

According to the farmers, the suspects remove whole coffee stems from farms before harvesting the cherries at undisclosed locations, making it difficult to trace the stolen produce.

James Waweru recalled a recent incident when he had remained behind to watch over a coffee plantation on a Sunday. He said he was confronted by suspects armed with a panga, who overpowered him before fleeing with the stolen coffee stems.

The growers believe the rising value of coffee has made the crop an attractive target for criminals. “These incidents happen almost every Sunday,” said farmer Jonah Njue.

Residents say the problem has gone beyond coffee theft, claiming criminals have also started targeting homes left empty during church services. Some allege household property has been stolen, while others say their homes have been vandalised.

“The other day when we were in Kianyaga, they even tampered with my electricity connection,” said another resident, identified as Kibaki.

The affected farmers suspect those behind the thefts are people familiar with the area and have pledged to work with security agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible.

“We will flush them out. We know who they are, even if they try to run away,” said Muriithi.

As the harvesting season continues, residents say they have become more alert in an effort to protect their farms and livelihoods. They note that such thefts were once rare but have become increasingly common in recent months.

“This was not common before, but now the cases are increasing,” said farmer Eliud Wachira.

The farmers are now appealing for stronger security patrols and greater community cooperation to curb the growing trend, warning that continued losses could undermine coffee production and discourage growers who rely on the crop as their main source of income.