Detectives recovered 57 phones at a Thika premises, alongside tablets and laptops, as police investigated theft and suspected device tampering.
A phone theft crackdown in Nairobi and Thika led to five arrests, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said. Detectives recovered 57 mobile phones at one Thika premises, alongside two tablets and two laptops.
The operations targeted suspected phone snatchers and people allegedly altering International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers. Police also recovered phones during separate investigations in Nairobi.
Phone theft crackdown follows roadside snatching
Along Limuru Road, a suspect allegedly grabbed an iPhone 15 Pro Max from a motorist near Muthaiga Mini Market Roundabout. The driver was making a call through his vehicle window as traffic slowed.
The motorist pursued the suspect, and police officers on patrol joined the chase. Officers arrested Kelvin Mwangi Gachuru and recovered the phone, the DCI said.
Police then took Gachuru to Gigiri Police Station for processing ahead of his expected court appearance.
Komarock pursuit leads officers to Mowlem
In a separate incident in Komarock, officers on foot patrol spotted three suspects riding a motorcycle. The DCI said the suspects allegedly targeted a female passenger travelling in a matatu.
Officers pursued the motorcycle, registration number KMGZ 673P, and arrested Kevin Musyoka and Deric Odhiambo. However, a third suspect escaped with the passenger’s phone.
A follow-up operation then took officers to a house in the Superloaf area of Mowlem. Investigators believed the premises had links to the fleeing suspect.
Police arrested Austine Mwangi at the house and recovered the passenger’s phone, according to the DCI. They also found four other mobile phones at the premises.
Detectives investigate suspected IMEI tampering in Thika
The investigation also extended to Thika Town after reports of suspected tampering with stolen phones’ IMEI numbers. Detectives raided a room on the eighth floor of Aliza Plaza and arrested Elvis Thuita Gitau.
At the premises, officers recovered 57 assorted mobile phones, two tablets and two laptops. They also found other electronic devices suspected to have been stolen.
However, the DCI did not identify the owners of the recovered devices. It also gave no details about the scale of the suspected IMEI-alteration operation.
Altering identifying details can make stolen devices harder to trace. The operations form part of law enforcement efforts to disrupt phone theft networks.
All five suspects remain in police custody as investigators prepare the cases for their expected court appearances.
