By Gerald Mutethia
Police in North Imenti Sub-County have recovered more than 80 smartphones and four laptops following a night operation that also led to the arrest of four suspects, including a juvenile.
North Imenti Sub-County Police Commander Ambrose Kyalo said the raid was conducted on Wednesday night after officers received a lead on a stolen mobile phone.
The suspect allegedly led police to a premises where the stolen gadgets were found.
“We have an assortment of all manner of phones. Last night, following intelligence that a phone had been stolen, the suspect led our officers to a premises where this cache of phones and laptops was recovered,” Kyalo said.
According to the commander, police recovered 80 mobile phones, 67 of which had been flashed while 23 had been dismantled for spare parts.
Officers also seized four laptops—one Samsung and three HP—believed to have been used in the criminal operation.
“One of the laptops has a special software application used to flash phones,” Kyalo added.
The suspects are believed to be part of a syndicate that has been terrorising residents in Gitimbine, GoDown, Gakoromone and parts of Meru town. Kyalo described the operation as a major breakthrough in efforts to curb phone theft in the area.
“This is a major breakthrough and a warning to phone snatchers. We have four suspects in custody who led us to unravel this syndicate,” he said.
Kyalo noted that the main suspect, who claims to be a juvenile, had been arrested before Christmas, released last week, and allegedly resumed criminal activities shortly thereafter. The owner of the premises where the gadgets were recovered is among those in custody.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have taken over the case to conduct further investigations and trace additional accomplices.
The police commander appealed to members of the public who may have lost their phones to visit Meru Police Station to identify and reclaim their property.
“We have realised that most of these phones were not reported as stolen. We urge members of the public to come forward and identify their lost phones,” Kyalo said.
He warned those involved in phone theft and related crimes that police were closing in on them.
“We are now on the upper hand. We will crack them and apprehend all their accomplices. We are on top of things,” Kyalo said.
