Police operations targeting phone theft in Nairobi and Thika have resulted in the arrest of five suspects and the recovery of dozens of mobile phones, laptops, tablets and other electronic devices believed to have been stolen.
The arrests followed separate incidents involving phone snatching in busy parts of Nairobi and an intelligence-led operation in Thika Town, where detectives were investigating a suspected network involved in handling stolen electronic devices and tampering with phone identification numbers.
One of the incidents occurred along Limuru Road near Muthaiga Mini Market Roundabout, where a motorist lost his iPhone 15 Pro Max while traffic was moving slowly during afternoon congestion.
The motorist was using the phone to make a call when a suspect, identified as Kelvin Mwangi Gachuru, allegedly reached through the vehicle’s window, grabbed the device and fled.
The victim immediately got out of his vehicle and chased the suspect in an attempt to recover his phone. Police officers who were patrolling the area witnessed the incident and joined the pursuit, leading to the suspect’s arrest.
Officers recovered the iPhone and took Gachuru to Gigiri Police Station for processing. He was being held pending arraignment in court.
In a separate incident along Komarock, police officers on foot patrol arrested two men after witnessing a group of suspects allegedly snatching a mobile phone from a female passenger travelling in a matatu.
According to the police account, the suspects were riding a motorcycle bearing registration number KMGZ 673P when they targeted the passenger. Officers quickly responded and pursued the men, managing to arrest Kevin Musyoka and Deric Odhiambo.
Their third accomplice, however, escaped with the stolen phone, prompting officers to continue with investigations to establish his whereabouts and recover the device.
The search led police to a house in the Superloaf area of Mowlem, which investigators believed was linked to the fleeing suspect. The two arrested men reportedly helped officers identify the premises during a follow-up operation.
Police raided the house and arrested the third suspect, identified as Austine Mwangi. During the operation, officers recovered the phone stolen from the matatu passenger and four additional mobile phones.
The arrests were part of wider efforts to address phone theft, which can leave victims without access to their personal information, communication services and other important data stored on their devices.
Meanwhile, detectives in Thika Town conducted a separate operation targeting a suspected stolen-electronics business after receiving information that individuals were tampering with International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers on stolen phones.
An IMEI number is a unique identifier assigned to a mobile phone and can help authorities identify a device. Tampering with these numbers can make it harder to trace stolen phones and establish their original identity.
Acting on the information, detectives raided a room on the eighth floor of Aliza Plaza, where they arrested Elvis Thuita Gitau.
The search uncovered a large collection of electronic devices suspected to have been stolen. Police recovered 57 assorted mobile phones, two tablets, two laptops and other electronic equipment whose ownership was yet to be established.
The discovery of the devices is expected to form part of the ongoing investigations into the suspected operation. Detectives will seek to establish where the electronics came from and whether they are connected to reported cases of theft.
The three incidents resulted in the arrest of five suspects, with the Limuru Road operation accounting for one arrest, the Komarock and Mowlem operations leading to three arrests, and the Thika raid resulting in another suspect being taken into custody.
All five suspects were in police custody undergoing processing pending arraignment in court.
The investigations are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the incidents and determine whether the recovered electronic devices can be linked to their rightful owners.
