4 Arrested as Police Recover 132 Suspected Stolen Phones

Police Officers have arrested four suspects and recovered 132 suspected stolen mobile phones and 2 laptops. 

In a statement on Tuesday, August 4, the National Police Service (NPS) said the suspects were arrested during an operation at the Nyaura area in Kayole, Nairobi County.  

NPS noted that one of the suspects arrested is a man believed to be a major receiver of mobile phones stolen by street robbers. 

“Acting on intelligence, a team of officers from Kayole Police Station in Nairobi Region conducted an operation in the Nyaura area, leading to the arrest of four suspects. 

“Among them was a man believed to be a key receiver of mobile phones stolen by street snatchers, alongside three other suspects linked to a series of phone-snatching incidents,” NPS stated. 

During the operation, the police recovered f 132 assorted mobile phones, mobile phone motherboards, and two laptops. 

“A thorough search resulted in the recovery of 132 assorted mobile phones, motherboards, and two laptops believed to be connected to the illicit operation,” the service stated. 

This comes days after detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested a 37-year-old Burundian national linked to a stolen-mobile-phone racket. 

In a statement on Friday, July 31, DCI said the suspect, identified as Prence Ndihokubwayo, remains in police custody as investigations continue.

"A 37-year-old Burundian national is in police custody after detectives from Likoni Police Station busted a suspected stolen mobile phone racket during an intelligence-led operation at the Ferry area of Likoni in Mombasa County," the statement read.

According to DCI, detectives acted on intelligence reports before raiding a mobile phone shop, where they recovered 74 mobile phones believed to have been illegally acquired.

Investigators believe the recovered devices were stolen from members of the public in separate incidents before ending up in the suspect's possession.

"The assorted handsets are believed to have been snatched from unsuspecting members of the public in various incidents," DCI added.