Major crackdown in Nyeri nets 652 stolen phones

According to the police, the suspect, who will be arraigned on Monday, operates from a rented premises in Nyeri town, where he allegedly sold stolen electronics to unsuspecting residents.

“Our investigations show that his shop was just a front. Smugglers brought in stolen devices for him to sell at cheap prices to unsuspecting customers,” Mr Muturi said.

Robbery with violence

He added that police will, starting Monday, begin analysing the recovered phones to match them with reported thefts. 

“Those who come to reclaim their phones will indicate where and how they lost them. If it turns out the devices were stolen violently, the suspect will face charges of robbery with violence,” he said.

The arrest followed another major raid on September 17, when detectives recovered 360 mobile phones hidden in various residential houses within the town. 

So far, 27 suspects have been charged in connection with the racket. However, Mr Muturi noted that some cases have collapsed after complainants withdrew.

Cases of phone snatching

“Our inquiries show that some of these phones were stolen over the past year from different parts of the country. Unfortunately, several suspects have been released after victims opted not to pursue the cases in court,” he said.

He urged members of the public who have lost phones to visit Nyeri Central Police Station with proof of ownership to reclaim them.

The crackdown comes amid rising cases of phone snatching and daylight robberies in Nyeri and its satellite towns. 

Residents have reported attacks, some by knife-wielding gangs, in areas such as Karatina, Kamakwa and Mukurweini.

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