Detectives in Naivasha have arrested a 33-year-old man suspected of engaging in the illegal trade of stolen mobile phones. The suspect was apprehended following a successful raid at his shop in Naivasha town, after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) acted on reliable intelligence.
According to the DCI, detectives caught the man red-handed as he was flashing a collection of stolen mobile phones, an operation used to erase existing data and make the phones ready for resale. A thorough search of the premises led to the recovery of 27 assorted mobile phones, an HP laptop, and a mobile phone flashing kit.
“The tools recovered revealed the extent of his operations,” the DCI said in a statement. The suspect is currently being held at Naivasha Police Station, where he is undergoing processing pending arraignment in court.
The Naivasha incident comes just hours after another major operation by detectives in Nairobi. Officers from Embakasi Police Station apprehended two suspects linked to a high-value burglary at a godown along Mombasa Road.
According to reports filed at Mombasa Road Police Station, employees returning to work after the Easter holidays discovered that the store had been broken into. The burglars, who were armed with crude weapons, gained access by cutting through the iron sheet roof, targeting the accounts office and the storeroom.
The stolen goods included 363 pieces of 43-inch Hisense TVs, 20 pieces of 20-inch HB TVs, 11 HS 218 soundbars, four HP laptops, two mobile phones, desktop computers, school bags, spare parts, and CCTV servers. Police estimate the total loss at approximately Sh17.6 million.
Investigations revealed that some of the stolen television sets had already been sold off. The two suspects arrested are currently assisting police with further investigations, with efforts underway to recover more stolen property and apprehend additional culprits.
Authorities have urged businesses and individuals to exercise caution when purchasing electronics and mobile devices, warning that buying stolen goods fuels criminal networks and may lead to prosecution.
