Police in Kitengela, Kajiado County, on Friday arrested two suspects in a swoop that saw them recover three stolen vehicles.
The two men are believed to be part of a major car theft racket in Kitengela town, according to the Directorate of Criminal investigations (DCI).
A police report says undercover sleuths stormed into a garage within the Jua kali grounds, near Kitengela Police Station, on Thursday night, after they were tipped off by an informer.
The officers were alerted about dubious vehicle dealings at the garage that is tucked in a corner in the area, among dozen garages.
The detectives nabbed garage owner David Ochieng and Julius Osoro, the prime suspect in the car theft syndicate.
At the garage, two new Toyata Axios, registrations KDL 773T and KDK 792R were found, both of them undergoing modification.
Kitengela DCI boss Benson Mutie told the Nation that the garage owner led them to the prime suspect, whom they found on Mombasa Road, driving the third vehicle, a Toyota Probox, registration KDD 363L.
Assorted number plates were also recovered.
“We also managed to recover a gadget used to demobilise all the security features in a vehicle,” Mr Mutie said on Friday afternoon.
It is suspected that the vehicles were stolen from different parts of the country. Once modified, their security features destroyed and their bodies repainted, they are sold to unsuspecting buyers.
Mr Mutie further said the detectives were following close leads in an effort to nab more suspects, in investigations into a car theft syndicate operating in the Nairobi metropolitan area.
“A few individuals have been placed on the police radar. We are following close leads to unearth the racket that seems to have been operating for some time,” he said.
The three vehicles were towed to Kitengela Police Station, where one was identified by the owner, who had reported it stolen elsewhere.
The suspects will be arraigned next week.
