A well-coordinated intelligence operation in Nairobi’s Central Business District has led to the dismantling of a phone theft syndicate that has been terrorising city dwellers.
The sting, executed by officers from Central Police Station, followed weeks of surveillance and tip-offs from the public.
Acting on actionable intelligence, police tracked a prime suspect engaged in tampering with phone IMEI numbers, a tactic commonly used to erase ownership traces and evade tracking. He was caught red-handed, marking a breakthrough in the investigation.
Upon his arrest, the suspect provided crucial leads that directed officers to a commercial building believed to be the syndicate’s main base of operations. The building, located within the CBD, housed a workshop disguised as a legitimate electronics repair shop.
Inside the premises, detectives cornered two other individuals linked to the ring. A search revealed a trove of electronics believed to have been stolen from unsuspecting victims in recent months.
In total, dozens of mobile phones of various brands and models were recovered, many stripped of their back covers, indicating attempts to refurbish or rebrand them before resale.
Notably, a number of pay-per-use devices were among the recovered items, raising concerns about tampering with locked gadgets.
Beyond mobile phones, officers also recovered computer equipment, including several CPUs and a desktop machine suspected to have been used for data wiping or resale operations. Investigators believe the equipment played a critical role in aiding the tampering and resale processes.
"A subsequent search of the premises yielded a haul of stolen electronics, including: 36 Samsung phones, 23 Vivo phones, 2 Nokia phones, 1 LG phone, 1 HMD phone, 1 Tecno phone, 1 Motorola phone, 6 M-Kopa Samsung phones, 2 M-Kopa Nokia phones, 2 Vivo motherboards, many of them stripped of their back covers. Also recovered were 2 Dell CPUs, 2 HP Elite CPUs, and 1 desktop computer, among other items," a police report read in part.
The suspects are now behind bars as law enforcement finalises its probe into the extent of the syndicate's operations. Authorities suspect the network may have ties to broader criminal enterprises operating across city estates.
With the suspects set to face court, security officials have reiterated their commitment to cracking down on organised theft rings.
Last month, an intelligence-led operation by the National Police Service led to the arrest of three individuals suspected of being part of a Nairobi-based phone theft syndicate.
In a statement, police indicated that the suspects were apprehended in the Tsavo area of the Central Business District (CBD). During the raid, officers recovered 75 mobile phones, seven computers, one microscope, and 20 Universal Flashing Interface (UFI) gadgets believed to be used in phone flashing and unlocking.
