NPS/X
Police have arrested four people in two separate operations in Nairobi as part of an intensified crackdown on mobile phone snatching and the illicit trade in suspected stolen electronic gadgets.
In a statement, the National Police Service (NPS) said officers from Muthangari Police Station acted on intelligence and arrested two suspects in Kawangware after receiving information on their whereabouts.
According to the police, the two had allegedly been linked to a series of mobile phone snatching incidents that have affected residents.
The NPS said the suspects were found with two mobile phones believed to have been stolen from members of the public shortly before their arrest.
The recovered handsets were secured as exhibits, while the suspects were placed in custody pending arraignment.
Investigations are ongoing as police seek to identify and arrest more people believed to be connected to the alleged crimes.
The police noted that phone snatching remains a common challenge in Nairobi, where criminals target pedestrians and motorists before escaping through the city's busy streets, often using motorcycles.
"For many Nairobi residents, mobile phone snatching is an all-too-familiar menace," the NPS said, adding that the criminals rely on "speed, surprise and the city's busy streets" to evade arrest.
In a separate operation on July 28, 2026, officers based at Kamukunji Police Station intercepted what the NPS described as a major conduit involved in the illicit electronic trade within the Nairobi Bus Station precinct.
The intelligence-led operation was launched following a tip-off and resulted in the recovery of assorted mobile phones and other electronic gadgets suspected to have been forcibly stolen from unsuspecting members of the public.
Police said two more suspects were arrested during the operation and placed in custody pending arraignment.
The recovered mobile phones and electronic gadgets were also secured as exhibits as investigations continue.
The National Police Service said the operations form part of ongoing efforts to disrupt criminal networks involved in street muggings and the illegal trade in stolen electronic devices.
"The National Police Service remains steadfast in pursuing offenders, dismantling criminal networks and ensuring that those who prey on innocent members of the public find no refuge," the statement said.
The service also urged members of the public to avoid buying electronic gadgets from unlicensed dealers, warning that such purchases could fuel the market for suspected stolen property.
It further appealed to the public to report suspicious activities to the nearest police station as investigations into both incidents continue.
