Law enforcement officers have seized a total of 42 suspected stolen mobile phones from a shop in Kimathi Street, Nairobi County.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), detectives from the Kilimani sub-county were on the trail of a stolen phone following an attack in the area.
They said their pursuit led them to a phone repair stall situated along Kimathi Street, where they discovered the cache of suspected stolen smartphones.
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"While pursuing a stolen phone whose owner was attacked in Kilimani area, detectives from Kilimani sub-county today afternoon seized 42 suspected stolen smartphones from a phone repair stall located along Kimathi Street in Nairobi," DCI noted.
The owner of the shop, identified as Matthew Mwangi Gachago, aged 30, was apprehended during the operation.
"Matthew Mwangi Gachago, 30, who is the owner of the shop housed within Pioneer building was arrested in the operation, and a verification exercise is underway to establish ownership of the seizure," DCI said.
The DCI noted that a verification process is currently underway to determine the ownership of the seized gadgets.
While pursuing a stolen phone whose owner was attacked in Kilimani area, detectives from Kilimani sub-county today afternoon seized 42 suspected stolen smartphones from a phone repair stall located along Kimathi Street in Nairobi.
Matthew Mwangi Gachago, 30, who is the owner of… https://t.co/UQPMXOzguy pic.twitter.com/XJVdTtVMqm— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) March 11, 2024
Phone theft on the rise
In another related development, the authorities revealed that they have intensified efforts to crack down on electronic theft across the Nairobi area.
During a region-wide operation conducted on March 4, 2024, detectives confiscated hundreds of suspected stolen mobile phones, laptops, and tablets.
The ongoing crackdown specifically targets suspicious phone repair stalls, aiming to curb the surge in electronic theft incidents.
"Detectives across Nairobi Region have seized hundreds of suspected stolen mobile phones, laptops and tablets in an ongoing crackdown on suspicious phone repair stalls with a view to combating electronic theft surge. In the regionwide operation conducted on March 4, 2024, over 182," the statement from DCI said in part.
