Police in Nairobi have recovered 77 mobile phone and Sh614,000 in cash during an operation targeting alleged criminals, who snatch mobile phones in the city centre on Friday nights.
The mobile phones and money were recovered from a stall along Munyu Road where the police traced a stolen gadget on Friday afternoon.
At least six suspects, who are linked to the alleged phone theft syndicate, were arrested by the police during the operation.
The shop where the recoveries were made is also used as a mobile phone workshop, Nairobi police chief George Seda said on Saturday.
The police boss said that during the operation, undercover officers and those from the Nairobi area Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau arrested one suspect who had snatched a phone on Moi Avenue.
The arrested man led the police to a shop where he confessed to have sold other stolen mobile phones.
“Our investigations have revealed that the cash recovered was meant to buy phones from the snatchers,” the police chief said.
Mr Seda said the operation would be extended to other parts of the city where the police believe unscrupulous dealers buy and sell stolen phones.
At the same time, the police revealed that some of the high-end phones stolen in Nairobi could have been exported to neighbouring countries.
Mr Seda said some of the criminals in this racket had developed markets in the neighbouring countries to avoid tracking by the police.
