Recovered phones [NPS/X]
Police in Nyeri have arrested a 32-year-old man after recovering hundreds of suspected stolen electronic devices during a raid in Nyeri Township.
According to a statement issued on Saturday, the operation was conducted on Friday, 19 September 2025, by officers from Nyeri Police Station led by the Officer Commanding Station (OCS).
The team stormed a shop in Nyeri following intelligence reports that the premises were being used to trade in stolen or snatched mobile phones and laptops.
"Upon searching the property, the officers recovered 292 used mobile phones and four laptops. The suspect was arrested after failing to provide a satisfactory account of how he had acquired the items," a statement by the National Police Service (NPS) stated.
He was arrested and escorted to Nyeri Police Station, booked, and placed in custody pending further investigations.
An inventory of the recovered electronics has already been compiled, and police say efforts are underway to identify their rightful owners.
In its statement, the police commended both the public and officers involved in the operation for their vigilance, saying the successful recovery of the devices demonstrates the value of close cooperation between citizens and law enforcement agencies.
They added that such operations will continue as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks engaged in the theft and resale of electronic gadgets.
They further appealed to Kenyans to support these initiatives by promptly reporting thefts or suspicious activities to the nearest police station or anonymously through available channels.
"The Service urges members of the public to continue supporting these efforts by promptly reporting theft or suspicious activity to the nearest police station, or anonymously through the toll-free hotlines 999, 911, 112, or via #FichuaKwaDCI on 0800 722 203 / WhatsApp 0709 570 000," concluded the statement.
The recent arrest in Nyeri comes roughly a month after a related operation in Nairobi.
Police officers from Central Police Station arrested a suspect believed to be connected to a phone theft network operating within Nairobi's Central Business District.
The arrest followed an intelligence-led operation, during which the suspect was found allegedly tampering with the IMEI numbers of mobile phones suspected to be stolen.
During initial questioning, the suspect reportedly led detectives to another building, where two other individuals were also arrested.
A subsequent search of the premises yielded a collection of electronic devices, including 36 Samsung phones, 23 Vivo phones, two Nokia phones, one LG phone, one HMD phone, one Tecno phone, one Motorola phone, six M-Kopa Samsung phones, two M-Kopa Nokia phones, and two Vivo motherboards, many without back covers.
Police also recovered two Dell CPUs, two HP Elite CPUs, and one desktop computer, among other items.
