A burglary victim in Likoni, Mombasa, has been arrested after police discovered 61 stolen mobile phones during a crime scene investigation. The incident has raised concerns about the rise of burglaries in the region and the potential role of insider information in these crimes.
The arrest followed a distress call to Inuka Police Station, reporting a burglary at a rented house in the Mnarani area. The officers, led by the Officer Commanding Inuka Police Station, responded swiftly to the scene. Upon arrival, they found that criminals armed with machetes and other crude weapons had broken into the house. The burglars gained entry by scaling the main gate and breaking through the steel door using metal bars.
According to the police, the suspects stole a mobile phone and an undisclosed amount of money, leaving the victim with two deep cuts on his head. The victim was promptly taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention. However, a subsequent revisit to the crime scene by the police led to a shocking discovery. Upon inspecting a hole in the ceiling board of the house, the officers uncovered several items hidden in the attic, including four machetes (one blood-stained), two kitchen knives, two televisions, a portable public address system, a card reader, two copies of ID cards, and the most surprising find—61 mobile phones of various brands.
This discovery led to the arrest of the victim, who had initially been seen as a victim of the burglary. Upon tracing him to a medical clinic, the police arrested him and escorted him to Inuka Police Station with the recovered items, where he is now awaiting further processing and potential arraignment.
The police have highlighted a growing concern over burglaries in the region, with many incidents linked to insider information. They have urged homeowners to take extra precautions when traveling, ensuring that their homes are secure. This comes in light of another recent burglary in Nairobi’s Parklands area, where a family lost valuables worth over Sh9 million. The family, who had locked their house while attending to their butchery business, returned to find their home broken into. The police believe the burglars had prior knowledge of the family’s valuables, underlining the increasing threat posed by insider information in these crimes.
As burglary cases continue to rise, both in Likoni and Nairobi, the police are calling for increased vigilance from the public to help curb these crimes.
