The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Friday, April 4, announced that it had cracked down on a motor vehicle theft syndicate, arresting four suspects.
In a statement, the DCI revealed the arrests were made following a targeted operation against a gang notorious for car thefts in Nairobi and its surrounding areas.
“In response to cases of motor vehicle thefts in Nairobi and its surrounding areas, detectives have launched a crackdown aimed at arresting the masterminds behind these crimes,” the DCI stated.
The operation began on March 3, when detectives arrested the first of the four suspects. During the arrest, the DCI recovered a stolen vehicle, and further investigations led detectives to a trail of additional suspects.
The next suspect arrested was one who specialised in erasing and altering chassis numbers of stolen vehicles. He was intercepted in Grogon, within the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).
Revealing the intricacies of the syndicate and its members, the detectives disclosed the arrest of the third suspect. His speciality was panel beating, riveting, producing fake number plates, as well as prefabrication and identity changes on the mirrors.
In the context of car theft, the terms panel beating, riveting, and prefabrication refer to specific methods and techniques used by criminals to disguise stolen vehicles or create counterfeit ones.
Normally, panel beating is a legitimate auto body repair technique used to fix dents and reshape car body panels after accidents. However, thieves use panel beating to alter or disguise the body of a stolen car.
On the other hand, riveting is a method of joining pieces of metal using rivets (metal pins). Car thieves employ this tactic to replace or reattach Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plates or other identifying labels.
Meanwhile, prefabrication means assembling components in advance, usually off-site, before final assembly. In illegal operations, prefabrication can refer to pre-creating custom panels, fake VINs, or body parts that can be quickly attached to stolen cars. These parts may be used to convert a stolen vehicle into a "clean" one with a new identity. The activity speeds up the process of disguising stolen cars, often in "chop shops" or underground garages.
The final suspect was apprehended for his involvement in hiring vehicles using fraudulent identification, only to steal them thereafter.
The DCI further warned of more arrests as they intensify the crackdown while informing that the four suspects were in custody pending arraignment.
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