Two persons of interest have been arrested in Makueni County after police recovered a cache of suspected stolen public infrastructure materials during an operation targeting vandalism and theft of essential utilities.

The National Police Service (NPS), in a statement issued on Monday, June 15, 2026, said the arrests were made in Makindu Sub-County following a report from members of the public regarding the vandalism of water infrastructure in a residential area.

Tip-off leads to arrest

Police said officers responded swiftly after receiving information from concerned residents about ongoing vandalism affecting water supply infrastructure.

“Officers from the National Police Service have recovered assorted stolen property and arrested two suspects during an operation in Makindu Sub-County, Makueni County,” the NPS stated.

“The operation followed a report from members of the public about vandalism of water infrastructure in a residential area. Officers responded promptly and apprehended one suspect in possession of water-related equipment believed to have been stolen.”

During the operation, officers apprehended one person of interest who was reportedly found in possession of water-related equipment believed to have been stolen from the affected area.

The discovery prompted investigators to expand their enquiries in a bid to establish the source and destination of the recovered materials.

Further investigations led officers to business premises within the area, where a search operation uncovered a significant quantity of items suspected to have been stolen from public utility installations and other infrastructure projects.

Among the recovered items were water meters, water pipes, railway metal components, electrical infrastructure materials, fuel, and assorted consumer goods believed to be proceeds of criminal activity.

“Further investigations led officers to business premises, where a search uncovered additional suspected stolen items, including water meters, water pipes, railway metal components, electrical infrastructure materials, fuel, and assorted consumer goods believed to be proceeds of crime,” the statement read in part.

Authorities confirmed that a second person of interest was arrested during the operation.

The two have since been placed in lawful custody and are expected to be arraigned in court once investigations are completed and charges are formally preferred.

Police said investigations remain ongoing to establish whether additional individuals may have been involved in the alleged vandalism and theft network.

Police commend public cooperation

The National Police Service praised members of the public for their vigilance and timely reporting of suspected criminal activities, saying community cooperation remains critical in protecting public infrastructure.

The service noted that information provided by residents played a key role in the success of the operation.

Authorities have repeatedly warned that vandalism of public utilities such as water systems, power installations, and railway infrastructure causes significant economic losses and disrupts essential services relied upon by communities.

The members of the public have also been urged to continue reporting incidents of vandalism, theft of public property, and other criminal activities through the nearest police station or designated emergency channels.

The latest arrests come amid ongoing efforts by security agencies to crack down on the theft and destruction of public utilities, which authorities say undermine service delivery and national development projects.

Curbing Infrastructure Vandalism

The Finance Bill 2026 proposes changes to how income earned from the sale of scrap metal is taxed, with the government saying the move will simplify tax compliance for dealers while helping tackle the growing problem of infrastructure vandalism.

In the Bill, a final withholding tax of 1.5 per cent will be applied to income from the sale of scrap metal.

This means that when a scrap metal dealer sells scrap metal, 1.5 per cent of the payment will be deducted as tax before the dealer receives the money.

For example, if a dealer sells scrap metal worth Ksh100,000, the buyer will deduct Ksh1,500 and remit it directly to the government, while the dealer receives Ksh98,500.