The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives have intensified a nationwide crackdown on mobile phone theft, launching an all-out manhunt for receivers believed to be at the centre of organised theft syndicates operating across the country.
In a statement on Saturday, DCI said detectives carried out a targeted raid following forensic leads on a suspected receiver of stolen devices in California, Kamukunji Sub-County.
The sleuths were targeting to arrest a suspected key player identified as Silas Kivyatu during the operation.
Investigators believe Kivyatu is a major receiver of stolen mobile devices and a central figure in a broader theft ring.
Two of his alleged accomplices were arrested last week, during which a cache of stolen phones destined for the Ugandan market was recovered.
Detectives tracked Kivyatu to his hideout in the California area within Kamukunji Sub-County.
However, the suspect reportedly became aware of the officers’ presence and fled the scene on a motorbike, evading arrest.
Despite his escape, detectives recovered a black carrier bag dropped by the suspect during his flight.
Inside were three neatly wrapped packages sealed with yellow cellophane tape. Upon inspection, the packages were found to contain 62 assorted stolen mobile phones, highlighting the scale of the suspected illegal operation.
The recovered phones have been secured as exhibits, while efforts to trace and arrest Kivyatu and his remaining accomplices continue.
“Through sustained, intelligence-led operations, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) remains unwavering in its commitment to dismantle mobile phone theft syndicates by targeting not only the thieves but also the receivers who fuel this criminal enterprise,” DCI added.
The operation comes days after detectives carried out a major operation in Nairobi’s Central Business District, where they recovered more than 900 suspected stolen mobile phones.
Two suspects were arrested during the intelligence-led operation along Charles Rubia Street, a known transit point for parcels destined for upcountry routes and neighbouring countries.
