By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Kenya, July 16, 2026 - Detectives have uncovered a suspected mobile phone theft network in Nairobi after recovering 200 suspected stolen phones hidden inside an abandoned store in Kasarani, with forensic experts now working to reunite the devices with their rightful owners.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the haul was recovered during an intelligence-led operation in Viken Thirty Village, following a tip-off about suspicious activities in the area.
Officers from Kasarani Police Station cordoned off an abandoned iron-sheet structure, where they discovered the cache of mobile phones.
According to the DCI, 120 of the devices were intact, while 80 had already been dismantled, raising suspicions that some were being stripped for spare parts before being sold.
"Detectives from the Kasarani Police Station have recovered 200 assorted mobile phones following a well-coordinated, intelligence-led operation in Viken Thirty Village," the DCI said.
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) officers processed the scene and collected evidence that could help identify those behind the suspected theft syndicate.
The recovered phones have since been taken to the National Police Service Forensic Laboratory (NPFSL), where detectives from the Cybercrime and Digital Forensics Unit are examining the devices.
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"The recovered phones have since been transported to the National Police Service Forensic Laboratory (NPFSL), where detectives from the Cybercrime and Digital Forensics Unit will conduct forensic analysis to trace their rightful owners," the DCI said.
Investigators are also following intelligence leads to establish whether the phones were stolen within Nairobi or brought in from other parts of the country before being hidden in Kasarani.
No arrests have been announced, but the DCI said efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those behind the suspected network.
Mobile phone theft remains one of the most common crimes in Kenya's urban centres, with many stolen devices ending up in illegal resale markets or being dismantled for spare parts. Authorities hope forensic analysis of the recovered phones will not only help return them to their owners but also expose the wider criminal network behind the operation.