A mechanic checks a vehicle.Detectives working at DCI's National Forensic Laboratory have launched investigations into a possible link between fraudlent tape-lifting services at car bazzars and car theft syndicate in Nairobi.
Tape lifting is the process of verifying a vehicle's particulars by lifting the chassis number and engine number with tape and comparing them with those on the vehicle's registration documents.
Tape lifting is used when purchasing a vehicle or if there are discrepancies between the vehicle's details and the details on its logbook.
A DCI officer checks their records to see if the vehicle has been reported before or if there are any inconsistencies, then issues a tape lift report.
Detectives are now pursuing the possibility that the exercise, which is usually performed by a Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) from the DCI, has been infiltrated by fraudsters to abate car theft in the country.
It followed the arrest of a suspect who the DCI said impersonated them and was offering tape-lifting services at a car bazzar on Kiambu Road.
DCI boss Amin Mohamed said the suspect was arrested on Thursday at a parking lot where he had directed one of his unsuspecting clients who had just purchased a vehicle.
"The reportee, who had just gifted himself a Valentine's Day gift, enquired from the sellers where he could get the service and was given the suspect's contact with directions that he worked at DCI headquarters," Amin said.
He said the would-be victim arrived at the agreed location of convergence, but the suspect wasn't there.
"After several missed calls, the reportee approached a CSI officer who happened to be examining a client's vehicle at the parking yard. Coincidentally, the officer, a Chief Inspector of Police, was offering a tape-lift service."
Amin said the car owner explained his case to the officer, but the officer had never heard of a colleague by the name given as one of his team members.
"Taking it upon himself to find out who the suspect was, the officer made numerous calls to colleagues, but none happened to have ever heard of him in the department or anywhere within the headquarters," Amin said.
He explained that at that very moment, the DCI imposter called the car owner, who by then knew he had been dealing with a con artist.
Amin said the car owner played along and pretended to be still interested in the tape-lifting service.
"The detectives drove with the reportee to the agreed location in a government vehicle (a Subaru)," he said.
The DCI boss said the unsuspecting wannabe detective immediately folded his sleeves and got down to business after opening the car's hood.
"He realised that the vehicle had a glaring GK sticker right in his eyes. He was whisked away. Upon search, 19 vehicle logbooks, 35 tape-lift reports, assorted driving licenses and National Identification cards were confiscated from him," Amin said.
The suspect was arraigned at the Kahawa Law Courts on Friday, Amin said, and was released on a Sh500,000 bond with a surety of similar amount.
He said he was given an alternative Sh100,000 cash bail as he awaits the matter to be mentioned on February 28, 2025.
"Meanwhile, a team of Serious Crimes detectives have launched a thorough probe into the case, as it is believed that the suspect could be a member of a larger organised criminal ring linked to motor vehicle theft," Amin said.
He advised members of the public to play an active role in averting crime by relaying information anonymously to police officers through their fichua kwa DCI toll-free contact number 0800-722-203.