Police officers in Nairobi have arrested a person of interest linked to a notorious mobile phone snatching in Dagoretti, recovering several stolen devices in the process.

The National Police Service (NPS) confirmed on Saturday, October 4, 2025, that the operation was carried out by officers from Muthangari Police Station. The officers were on foot patrol when they received intelligence about a man linked to a series of phone snatching incidents in the area.

Acting on the information, the officers proceeded to the person’s residence in Soko Mjinga. Upon arrival, they arrested the man and carried out a thorough search of his house. During the search, three mobile phones were discovered, including an iPhone, an HDM and a G73. All the devices had been wrapped in foil paper, a common tactic used to interfere with tracking signals.

The person of interest was taken into custody and escorted to Muthangari Police Station. Police said he is awaiting processing and arraignment in court.

According to the NPS, the recovery of the devices is part of an ongoing crackdown targeting phone snatching rings that have been troubling residents in Nairobi and other urban areas.

“Today, officers from Muthangari Police Station received intelligence about a suspected mobile phone snatcher. They responded swiftly and arrested the suspect at his house in Soko Mjinga. Three stolen phones were recovered and secured as exhibits. The suspect is in custody pending arraignment,” the police statement read.

Rising cases of phone theft

Phone snatching has remained a common crime in Nairobi, with many cases reported in busy neighbourhoods and along public transport routes. Criminals often target unsuspecting pedestrians and commuters, fleeing quickly before victims can raise an alarm.

In September, police in Kikuyu, Kiambu County, arrested two people in a similar operation. The officers, acting on intelligence, raided Dagoretti Market and recovered several stolen phones. One suspect was arrested at the market, while another was nabbed after a follow-up search in the DC area, where police found more phones believed to have been stolen.

In Nairobi’s Central Business District, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) also recovered dozens of stolen devices in September during a raid at Intermark Business Centre. The suspects were allegedly tampering with International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers to conceal the stolen devices’ identity.