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Police bust car theft syndicate and recover five stolen vehicles


Detectives drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Wednesday night recovered five stolen motor vehicles and arrested three suspects in different parts of Trans-Nzoia County.

The three suspects were nabbed within Kitale town while one vehicle was found at a car wash in Kimimini.

DCI said in a statement that their pursuit of the syndicate was triggered by more than 11 cases of motor vehicles being stolen in a span of a few days.

A team of detectives was then put up on June 11, 2020 to investigate the matter which led to the arrests and recoveries.

“On 12th June, 2020 the team spotted a suspicious Nissan Wingroad along Sotik-Kericho road with three occupants, who defied orders to stop hence tripping a chase. Two suspects who jumped out of the vehicle managed to disappear on foot while the suspected Mastermind, 25-yr-old Aaron Kibet Chepkwony was pounced on,” DCI’s statement reads in part.

Detectives say further investigations revealed that the vehicle was found to have been stolen from a police officer who resides in Matunda.

The car was picked from a parking lot with fake number plates affixed on it.

“The gang which targets parked and unsecured motor vehicles is believed to be using fake registration plates before selling them to unsuspecting buyers, and the DCI hereby cautions the public of the same,” DCI said.

The police asked anyone who has lost his car in the recent past to report the matter to DCI Kitale office armed with proof of ownership for identification.