Person of interest arrested as police recover 36 stolen smartphones in Kariobangi
By Ascah Mwango, January 30, 2026A person of interest has been arrested after police in Nairobi recovered 36 smartphones believed to have been stolen.
In a statement shared by the National Police Service (NPS) on Thursday, January 29, 2026, the police said officers from Kariobangi North Police Station acted on information from members of the public and carried out an operation along Kamunde Road in the Kanyama area of Kariobangi North Ward.
During the operation, the officers arrested the person of interest and found them in possession of items believed to be stolen. The police recovered 36 assorted smartphones.
The individual was taken into custody and is being held as police complete processing ahead of being presented in court. The recovered phones have been secured as exhibits.
The NPS said the arrest and recovery were made possible through timely information shared by the public, and reiterated its commitment to fighting crime.
“Today, officers from Kariobangi North Police Station in Nairobi acted on information from the public and conducted an operation along Kamunde Road in the Kanyama area of Kariobangi North Ward. During the operation, officers arrested a suspect found in possession of property believed to be stolen,” the statement read in part.
Adding;
“The team recovered 36 assorted smartphones. The suspect was placed in custody pending processing and arraignment in court, while the recovered phones have been secured as exhibits. The National Police Service reiterates its commitment to combating crime and thanks the public for the timely information that led to the arrest and recovery.”
Crackdown
The latest bust comes days after detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested two people and recovered more than 900 stolen mobile phones in a targeted crackdown within Nairobi’s Central Business District.
In an update shared on X on Monday, January 26, 2026, the DCI said the arrests were made after an intelligence-led operation carried out along Charles Rubia Street near the busy Buscar bus stage. During the operation, detectives intercepted two packages that were being prepared for shipment outside the country.
A search of the parcels revealed a huge haul of mobile phones believed to have been stolen from unsuspecting members of the public as well as retail phone shops across Nairobi. The recovered gadgets, estimated to be over 900, had been hidden inside the packages.
“Upon opening the packages, the officers were greeted by a shocking sight: an assortment of stolen mobile phones, numbering approximately 900,” DCI highlighted.