Rifles stolen as Kenyan police watch Champions League football

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The temptation to watch UEFA Champions League quarter-finals football featuring Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo backfired for some Kenyan policemen when thieves raided their unmanned post and made off with weaponry.

The incident occurred on Tuesday after officers shut Kamorwon police post and went in search of a TV screen.

As they watched the matches – Manchester United against Barcelona and Juventus against Ajax – at a shopping mall, thieves raided the deserted post and escaped with three rifles and ammunition, according to a police report seen by Reuters.

Other officers were “mobilised to swing into action” to recover the firearms, the report said. It was not immediately known whether the absent without leave officers were disciplined.

European football, particularly the English Premier League, is popular in Kenya and across Africa.