At least 90 mobile telephones were recovered in Monday operation targeting suspected dealers in stolen phones. The operation was led by Kampala Central Police Station –CPS Operations Commander Assistant Superintendent of Police –ASP Ivan Nduhura.
ASP Nduhura said police was compelled to conduct an operation after receiving numerous complaints from members of the public who had fallen victim of thugs grabbing and stealing phones.
“After receiving a lot of complaints from public on phone theft in CBD [Central Business District] today we have carried out an operation in Cooper Complex on those buying and selling the stolen phones. Over 90 phones recovered and arrests made,” ASP Nduhura said.
Last year police and sister security agencies conducted a total of 11 separate but well conducted raids targeting stolen items within the Kampala Metropolitan area. Security raids covered 184 shops and yards that were selling suspected stolen items.
Fred Enanga, police mouthpiece, said the operations were based on intelligence, following several thefts from street gangs, attacks on Boda-boda riders, breakings and burglaries in selected neighbourhoods, and robberies, where the stolen items, were linked to these shops and yards.
In the operations of November last year, 6808 cell phones that were recovered. Enanga said out of 6808, one thousand three hundred and twenty-five had no IMEI, one thousand five hundred seventy-one had no serial numbers while three hundred fifty-three had no details at all.
“It implied that 53.4% of the total phones recovered had issues. In addition, seven shops had 100% cell phones that either lacked IMEI and or had altered serial numbers,” Enanga said.
Security forces said shops cordoned and searched were found to be in possession of cell phones with no IMEI, had altered IMEI, or serial numbers. Others had no serial numbers, some still had contact lists and sim cards, and others had profile photos of suspected owners.