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Two people have been arrested in Bungoma County after detectives dismantled a suspected mobile phone theft and cybercrime operation in Kimilili Town.
The National Police Service (NPS) said officers recovered 73 mobile phones believed to have been stolen from members of the public during the operation.
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The arrests followed weeks of investigations into mobile phone theft and related cyber-enabled offences, culminating in a raid at a shop linked to the suspects in Kimilili Town.
According to the NPS, preliminary investigations indicate the suspects are part of a larger criminal syndicate involved in stealing, reprogramming and illegally reselling stolen mobile phones across the county.
“Preliminary investigations suggest that the two are part of a wider criminal network involved in the theft, reprogramming and illicit resale of stolen mobile phones within the county,” the NPS said.
Police also recovered equipment allegedly used to flash mobile phones, a process that alters a device’s software to conceal its identity or make it easier to sell after being stolen.
Investigators believe the equipment played a key role in facilitating the syndicate’s activities.
The two suspects remain in custody and are expected to be arraigned in court as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, detectives have launched a manhunt for other individuals suspected to be part of the criminal network.
“The suspects are currently in police custody pending arraignment, while officers pursue further leads to identify and apprehend other members of the criminal network,” the statement added.
Authorities said the operation underscores the growing threat posed by organised mobile phone theft syndicates, which often tamper with stolen devices before selling them on the black market, making it difficult for owners to recover them.
Police noted that such groups commonly use specialised software and equipment to bypass security systems, erase user information and alter device identifiers before reselling the phones.
The National Police Service urged the public to remain alert and report suspicious activities that could help dismantle similar criminal operations.
The latest arrests come just weeks after detectives in Kisii County recovered hundreds of suspected stolen mobile phones during a separate operation targeting an alleged phone theft syndicate in Kisii Township.
In that operation, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said officers from Kisii Central Police Station, working alongside officials from M-KOPA Kenya Limited, conducted a coordinated raid following the arrest of a suspect linked to the illegal trade.
The operation resulted in the recovery of 289 mobile phones suspected to have been stolen from victims across the country.
According to the DCI, detectives recovered 56 smartphones linked to the financing company and another 233 mobile phones of different brands and models.
One suspect was arrested during the Kisii operation.
