Two suspects were arrested Thursday night in Eldoret Town for allegedly running a mobile phone hacking and resale syndicate.
The arrests followed a public tip-off and a coordinated operation by the National Police Service (NPS) in collaboration with M-KOPA’s liaison personnel.
The operation targeted a phone repair shop in Eldoret’s CBD, where the suspects were allegedly flashing and reprogramming various phones, including credit-issued M-KOPA devices, to bypass security features and evade payment.
According to Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr. Eddyson Nyale, the arrests mark a breakthrough in tackling rising cases of mobile phone theft.
“We’ve received numerous public complaints. This crackdown is part of our effort to dismantle such criminal networks,” he said, adding that more operations would follow.
Nyale said a search of the premises uncovered 28 mobile phones, two HP laptops, two CPUs, seven hard drives, a Pandora Box, a dongle, and a JTAG device, tools typically used to alter IMEI numbers and disable phone tracking.
The youthful suspects, described as tech-savvy, are believed to be part of a broader criminal network. They are currently held at Eldoret Police Station pending further investigations.
Uasin Gishu’s Ag. County Police Commander, Davidson Muga, called on victims of mobile phone theft to visit Eldoret Central Police Station to help identify recovered devices and aid ongoing investigations.
Muga advised the public against buying mobile phones and other electronics from suspicious people and instead report suspects to police in order to win the war on crime.
By Fredrick Maritim
