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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala police in collaboration with their Mbarara counterparts have arrested four suspects believed to be part of the racket that has been vandalizing vehicles in various parts of the country. The suspects were picked up in an operation led by Ivan Nduhura, the commander of operations at Kampala central police station.
Nduhura stormed shops in Kisekka market on intelligence from their counterparts where they recovered over 164 vehicle lights and side mirrors. Police have identified the suspects as Maxensio Murekye, Bony Barigye, Arnold Asasira and Siraje Ssembatya. The four men who seem to be in their late teens and early 20’s were found selling the vandalized vehicle spare parts.
A detective from Mbarara who preferred anonymity said the group scaled over perimeter walls, gates and fences of private homes and public parking yards where they stole the side mirrors, head lights and other removable spare parts.
“We started this operation after we received a complaint from one of the residents whose Hilux had been vandalized. We arrested one suspect and he confessed that he and others from Kampala had also vandalized a Subaru Forester. They led us to the home and we indeed found the vehicle vandalized,” the detective said.
Police said the operation is still ongoing to ensure that the facilitators of the crime particularly buyers of such stolen motor vehicle spare parts are arrested. Nduhura said most of the headlights they recovered are of expensive cars such as Hilux, Subaru, Benze and V8 Land cruisers.
“These guys have people who buy these things from them because they sell them very cheaply. You find a headlight that costs about 1.5 million Shillings is sold at 300,000 Shillings. A side mirror of about 600,000 Shillings is sold at 100,000 Shillings,” Nduhura said.
Police believe the group vandalizes cars in Mbarara, Kampala, Wakiso, Bushenyi and other major towns. The case is being investigated vide SD 24/11/12/2020.
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