DCI Seize Stolen 156 Phones, 45 TVs, 41 Laptops From 11 Suspects

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Tuesday, October 24 arrested 11 suspects in Eldoret believed to be harbouring an assortment of stolen electronics, including mobile phones.

DCI revealed in a statement on Wednesday, October 25 that the arrest of the suspects followed an intelligence-led operation carried out by detectives based in the Uasin Gishu County-based town, soon to become a city.

"11 suspects were arrested yesterday in Eldoret, following an intelligence-led operation conducted by Eldoret-based detectives that led to the recovery of 156 mobile phones, 45 TVs and 41 laptops among other items," stated the DCI in part.

Backed up by Eldoret Police Station officers, the detectives raided the Petresha Building within Eldoret Township where several electronic repair shops believed to be confiscating stolen items were searched and assorted electronics without prerequisite ownership receipts recovered. 

156 mobile phones, 41 laptops, 45 TVs, 25 gas cylinders, 8 fridges, 5 microwaves, 3 gas cookers, 3 water dispensers, 5 woofers, and 1 Canon camera were among the items recovered. 

"The 11 suspects; Anthony Barasa, Patrick Oduor, Ruth Rono, George Maina, Emmanuel Ejiko, Onesmus Kisuye, Emanuel Loyapan, Kelphas Omar, Joseph Mugo, John Waweru and Joyce Wachira were escorted to Eldoret police station for further investigation and the assorted goods kept in custody pending identification by bonafide owners," added the DCI.

On Thursday, September 7, a near-similar operation by the DCI in Nairobi led to the arrest of a man believed to be in possession of hundreds of mobile phones believed to have been stolen from members of the public.

According to the investigative agency, the suspect, Jeremiah Mbugua, operates a second-hand mobile phone shop at Califonia house along Gaberone Street in Nairobi.

The sleuths had raided his shop in a sting operation and recovered the assortment of stolen mobile phones, adding that Mbugua was alleged to have masterminded a criminal syndicate behind the theft of the phones in the Central Business District (CBD).

The raid also saw the recovery of sophisticated equipment, including one that erases data completely from the phone. 

Almost all phones are designed with the option of flushing out data and user information, commonly known as master reset, hard reset or master clear.

The process resets a phone back to its original factory settings. However, in this case, Mbugua was found in possession of the equipment that erased data from a phone after it was stolen.

"Also recovered were a software installation device, external storage devices and universal flushing device interface gadgets popularly known as ndongois," stated the DCI at the time.

A person who handles stolen goods is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment with hard labour for a term not exceeding 14 years.

Stolen phones which were recovered by the DCI officers on Thursday, September 7, 2023. /DCI