DCI detectives have on Monday afternoon recovered 42 suspected stolen smartphones at a stall located along Kimathi Street in Nairobi.
The seizure follows a police probe after a a missing phone case had been filled with them by the owner who had been attacked in Kilimani.
“While pursuing a stolen phone whose owner was attacked in Kilimani area, detectives from Kilimani sub-county today afternoon seized 42 suspected stolen smartphones from a phone repair stall located along Kimathi Street in Nairobi.
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Matthew Mwangi Gachago, 30, who is the owner of the shop housed within Pioneer building was arrested in the operation, and a verification exercise is underway to establish ownership of the seizure.” said DCI
The news follows a recent crackdown on illegal phone repair stalls within the city where 182 mobile phones, a laptop, iPad and two heating machines were seized.
“Detectives across Nairobi Region have seized hundreds of suspected stolen mobile phones, laptops and tablets in an ongoing crackdown on suspicious phone repair stalls with a view to combating elctronic theft surge.
In the regionwide operation conducted on March 4, 2024, over 182 mobile phones, a laptop, iPad and two heating machines were seized in Ruai and Kamulu areas, when detectives stormed Free Mack Electronic Shop and Kamale Mobile Repair in Ruai, & Friends Communication Shop in Kamulu.
In the operation, five suspects namely Fredrick Maina, Macnair Gedion, Robin Muturi, John Kamau Mwangi and Kelvin Kamau Njuguna were arrested.
In Kamukunji, detectives confiscated 19 suspected stolen mobile phones within Information Shops nos. 3A and 2B, before proceeding to Cianda Market shop no.426 where 10 more phones were found. Samuel Kang’ethe, Anthony Kamau & Kelvin Kihara were arrested.
In Lang’ata’s Mobihub Planet-BIHI Towers, Lynne Wambui and Paul Kamau Wainaina were arrested with 34 suspected stolen phones, and 8 laptops seized at Skydeck Technologies shop by DCI Central detectives.
Found in possession of the laptops were Brian Mwangi & Robert Thuo Mwangi who were equally rounded up. Four other suspects were arrested in Kasarani’s Githurai 44 area in a similar operation.
Meanwhile, 5 robbers who waylaid a Matopeni area dweller at Mukuru kwa Njenga – Reli section stealing from him a jacket & an OPPO phone valued at Sh20k were arrested by Embakasi police, who recovered the jacket & escorted them to custody.
Bethwel Kiprop, Shadrack Otwori, Edwin Ongori, Mike Sagero & Collins Sigei were ambushed minutes after the robbery, and have since been arraigned.
The DCI Nairobi Region Coordinator has warned phone thieves posing as phone dealers & phone repairers that detectives are hot on their trail, equally cautioning legit vendors to be careful while handling 2nd hand electronics as they may put them in serious problems with the law.” said DCI
