Have you been using the free hand sanitizers being offered in offices, supermarkets and even when boarding public service vehicles?

Carolyne Njeri, a Nairobi resident, says she does not, after a horrific experience she encountered last week.

Njeri says she boarded a matatu that had one person, besides the tout and the driver.

"The tout sprayed what I thought was hand sanitizer on my hands before I boarded the matatu, by the time I sat down, I was barely conscious," she says.

Njeri, who had boarded the matatu near ABC Place along Waiyaki Way and was heading to Westlands, says the tout took her handbag before forcing her to alight at the St. Marks Bus stop.

"Thankfully I was mostly conscious, I had to sit somewhere on the roadside because I could barely walk. The thieves made away with my phone, but returned my handbag, including a Sh100 note that was inside."

Upon regaining full consciousness, Njeri says she walked to her bank to inform them that her phone, which had an online app, had been stolen.

"The bank informed me that the fraudsters had been trying to access her account but had not succeeded yet, so we blocked the account."

Her experience, she says, served her a big lesson; "I bought my own sanitizer and refused to use those given freely."

The use of hand sanitisers has picked up in the country, to combat the spread of the coronavirus that had killed 9 people and infected 208 others by Wednesday.

The World Health Organization has emphasized on the use of sanitizers, washing hands with soap and water and social distancing as some of the most effective ways of fighting the virus.

Would-be criminals staying home

The incident comes even as police say the rate of crime in the county has reduced.

Nairobi police boss, Phillip Ndolo told Capital News that since the government declared a dusk to dawn curfew, and limited intra-county travel, the crime rate has decreased.

"We have fewer theft cases, as well as petty crimes," Ndolo said.

The drop has also been recorded in other countries like the United States, South Africa, El Salvador and Peru.

The United States recorded a decline in major crimes such as burglary, assault, murder, robbery and grand larceny, according to the Times.