Two persons of interest linked to Nairobi phone snatching incidents arrested
By Mustafa Juma, July 28, 2026Police have arrested two persons of interest believed to be linked to a string of mobile phone-snatching incidents that have recently plagued Nairobi residents in an operation conducted by officers from Muthangari Police Station.
The National Police Service (NPS) in a statement issued on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, said the two were tracked down in Kawangware following intelligence-led investigations into a series of thefts targeting pedestrians and motorists across the city.
According to police, the two individuals had become persons of interest after being linked to multiple phone snatching incidents in Nairobi, where criminals have increasingly relied on motorcycles, speed and surprise to rob unsuspecting victims before disappearing into heavy traffic.
Intelligence-led operation
Police said officers acted swiftly after receiving information on the persons of interest’s whereabouts, leading them to Kawangware, where the pair were successfully located and arrested.
Upon their arrest, officers recovered two mobile phones believed to have been stolen from members of the public shortly before the operation.
The recovered handsets have been secured as exhibits while investigators work to establish their rightful owners.
The persons of interest remain in police custody and are expected to be arraigned in court once investigations are completed.
Authorities said the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to identify additional suspects believed to be involved in the criminal network.
Growing concern over phone snatching
Mobile phone snatching has become one of the most common forms of street crime in Nairobi, with victims frequently targeted while walking along busy streets, waiting in traffic or using their phones in public.
Many of the attacks are carried out by criminals riding motorcycles or operating in small groups, allowing them to flee quickly before victims or bystanders can react.
Police say such gangs often dispose of stolen phones through illegal dealers or dismantle them for spare parts, making recovery difficult if suspects are not arrested immediately.
Crackdown on urban crime
The National Police Service said it remains committed to dismantling criminal networks involved in robberies and other street crimes within the capital.
“The National Police Service remains steadfast in pursuing offenders, dismantling criminal networks and ensuring that those who prey on innocent members of the public find no refuge,” the service said in a statement.
Police have encouraged Nairobi residents to remain vigilant and continue sharing information that could assist in combating crime.
Members of the public have been urged to report suspected criminal activities at the nearest police station or through the emergency numbers 999 and 911.