- Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei said the recovery follows a crackdown they launched.
- Bungei said several people alleged to be behind the incidents have also been arrested during the operations.
Image: HANDOUT
Police in Nairobi have recovered about 1,000 mobile phones in an operation conducted in one week alone.
Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei said the recovery follows a crackdown they launched.
Bungei said several people alleged to be behind the incidents have also been arrested during the operations.
“We are managing the situation and have made good progress so far. We have recovered those stolen phones and some suspects are in court,” Bungei said.
The Nairobi boss reiterated the commitment to deal with the issue of phone snatching and other forms of crimes in Nairobi.
He, however, noted that the incidents are isolated and not as bad as it is being portrayed.
This comes after the US Embassy warned its citizens of increased crime rates in Nairobi estates.
In an advisory issued on Friday, the Embassy has warned its citizens residing in Nairobi to take caution even as they go about their business.
"There are reports of increased criminal activity in residential areas of Nairobi," the Embassy said.
"Incidents include crimes of opportunity such as purse and phone snatching," the advisory reads.
Image: HANDOUT
The Embassy, however, noted the Kenya government is taking measures to deploy more police in high-crime areas.
Just last week, detectives across the Nairobi Region seized more than 300 suspected stolen mobile phones, laptops, and tablets in a crackdown on suspicious phone repair stalls
This effort is aimed at combating the electronic theft surge in the city.
Police have stated that the stealing of these gadgets is linked to motorcycle operators who are behind the trend.
Bungei announced that they will also target motorcycle operators as part of efforts to address this trend.
He said they have seen a surge in the incidents where riders, with pillions who are also accomplices, snatch mobile phones and take them to electronic engineers for changes before they are sold.
The police boss said they have realized some of the suspects are ex-convicts who were recently released from jail.
He warned they have profiled them and that efforts to get the gangs are ongoing.
“Let those handling the gadgets know some of them were robbed in serious circumstances including robbery with violence and some even murder,” he said.