Police Arrest Suspect in Mathare, Recover Dozens of Stolen Electronics

 

Police in Nairobi have arrested a suspect and recovered a large cache of suspected stolen electronic items following an intelligence-led operation in the Mathare area.

The operation, conducted on July 10 by officers from Utalii Police Station, targeted the residence of the suspect, who reportedly runs an electronic repair workshop in the neighborhood. Upon searching the premises, police recovered a haul of electronic items believed to have been stolen.

Among the recovered items were 72 mobile phones, two laptops, a Universal Flashing Interface (UFI), a Pandora device, a digital camera, two external hard drives, and a central processing unit (CPU).

According to police reports, 32 of the recovered mobile phones have already been positively identified by complainants from M-KOPA, a digital financing company that provides smartphones and other products to clients on a pay-as-you-go basis. The remaining items have been secured and are being held as exhibits at the police station pending identification by their rightful owners.

The suspect is currently in custody and is expected to be arraigned in court as investigations continue.

In a statement, the National Police Service praised the public for providing the tip-off that led to the arrest and recovery, highlighting the importance of community policing in tackling crime.

"We commend members of the public for the crucial information that enabled our officers to carry out a successful operation. We urge citizens to continue partnering with law enforcement agencies by sharing timely information in the fight against crime," the statement read.

The incident underscores growing concerns over the theft and illegal resale of electronic items in urban areas, with police reiterating their commitment to cracking down on criminal networks involved in such activities.