Police in Thika West, Kiambu County, on Thursday, February 5 arrested three notorious suspects of phone theft incidents in the area, and recovered a toy pistol that they used to intimidate their victims.

It all began when residents of Thika made several reports of mobile phone thefts within Jomoko area.

In their reports, the victims reported that the gang would operate using a motorcycle, snatch mobile phones from them before fleeing the scene.

As a result, officers from Ngoingwa Police Station intensified their surveillance and patrols, in a bid to stop the criminal activities.

Acting on this information, officers laid a well-coordinated ambush along the identified route. During the operation, a motorcycle carrying three male suspects approached from the direction of Juja.

“Officers swiftly moved in and successfully arrested all three suspects, who are aged between 22 and 24,” the National Police Service (NPS) reports.

After conducting a search, the police officers recovered the toy pistol.

“Upon interrogation, the suspects disclosed that they were from a different neighbourhood in Nairobi County and had been travelling to the area specifically to snatch mobile phones from members of the public,” a police report says.

The suspects have been taken into custody as investigations continue, and the recovered item has been secured as an exhibit.