August 6, 2025
Nairobi, Kenya — A major phone theft syndicate operating within Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) has been dismantled following a successful intelligence-led operation by officers from the Central Police Station.
The operation led to the arrest of Victor Kimani, a prime suspect allegedly linked to the syndicate. Kimani was apprehended in the CBD while allegedly attempting to tamper with the IMEI numbers of stolen phones in a bid to mask their identity and avoid detection.
Following his arrest and a brief interrogation, Kimani led detectives to Intermark Business Centre, where two of his suspected accomplices, Marvine Wangundo and Jeremiah Njoroge, were also arrested.
A subsequent search of the premises uncovered a substantial cache of stolen electronics, including:
36 Samsung smartphones
23 Vivo phones
2 Nokia phones
1 LG phone
1 HMD phone
1 Tecno phone
1 Motorola phone
6 M-Kopa Samsung phones
2 M-Kopa Nokia phones
2 Vivo motherboards (stripped of back covers)
2 Dell CPUs
2 HP Elite CPUs
1 desktop computer
Authorities believe the items were part of an elaborate resale and modification scheme, with many phones already stripped down or altered.
The suspects remain in police custody as detectives conclude investigations in preparation for formal charges. Authorities have urged members of the public who may have recently lost devices to criminal activity in the CBD to report to Central Police Station for assistance in identification.
This latest operation underscores growing concerns about organized mobile phone theft in urban centers and the technological efforts criminals employ to mask stolen goods. Law enforcement agencies continue to urge vigilance and caution when purchasing second-hand electronics.
