Cattle rustlers yesterday raided Doinyo Loip village in Laikipia West where they shot and seriously wounded a 17 year old boy before stealing a number of goats and sheep.

Laikipia West OCPD Francio Nyamatari said Joseph Wanjohi was shot on his left shoulder when he responded to the alarm raised by his elderly father Ngunjiri Kioni after rustlers invaded their homestead.

He said mzee Ngunjiri was asleep when he heard commotion at the sheep pen. He then asked his son to check what was happening and that's when the boy got shot after he confronted the raiders.

Nyamatari said Wanjohi who is still admitted in hospital is out of danger and promised to have the raiders captured soon.

"My men are on the ground pursuing the rustlers and we are optimistic that we shall recover all the animals and illegal guns will be recovered," he said.

He said the attack comes after a period of relative calm where very few incidences were reported in the past year. He said closer co-operation between local communities and police had helped to curb such incidents.

"Last year there was a major crackdown of raiders in this area that saw several manyattas demolished after residents pointed them out as hiding dens," he said.