In a significant operation targeting organized motor vehicle theft, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), in collaboration with the National Police Service (NPS), raided several suspected illegal car yards along Kangundo Road, Nairobi, on April 8, 2025.
According to an official NPS statement, the intelligence-led sting operation uncovered numerous vehicle parts, tampered chassis numbers, metal-cutting tools, and fake number plates, confirming suspicions of ongoing illegal car dismantling operations.
“As part of the ongoing crackdown on motor vehicle theft syndicates across the country, the National Police Service (NPS), through the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), conducted an intelligence-led operation along Kangundo Road in Nairobi County,” read the NPS release.
Key Recoveries and Arrests:
- Assorted number plates
- Three vehicles with altered chassis numbers
- One vehicle with suspected fake registration
- Metal-cutting equipment and motor vehicle parts
- Three suspects arrested on-site
All four vehicles were towed to the DCI Headquarters for forensic verification, as investigations into the syndicate’s operations continue. The suspects remain in custody and are expected to face charges pending further inquiries.
The NPS encouraged public cooperation in curbing vehicle theft, urging citizens to report suspicious activity via emergency numbers: 999, 911, 112, or anonymously through #FichuaKwaDCI: 0800 722 703.
Background:
This operation follows a similar bust in Kisauni weeks earlier, where police arrested two men in possession of number plates, logbooks, and a key programming device — a tool often used by thieves to clone digital car keys and bypass ignition systems.
Detectives revealed that syndicates are now disabling and discarding tracking devices far from stolen vehicles to hinder recovery efforts. One recent case involved a football fan who lost his car while watching the Harambee Stars vs. Gabon match near Nyayo Stadium, an incident tied to ongoing investigations.
These back-to-back breakthroughs underscore the DCI’s intensified war on vehicle crime, especially in urban hotspots like Nairobi and Mombasa, where demand for second-hand car parts remains high.
