A major breakthrough has been reported in the fight against rising car thefts after detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested two men believed to be part of a notorious carjacking ring operating along key highways.
The suspects, according to investigators, have been targeting motorists driving unregistered vehicles with Kenya Dealers (KD) plates, as well as cars en route to Uganda.
In one case on August 28 in Makindu, Makueni County, the duo allegedly carjacked a black Toyota Harrier, forcing the DCI to launch an intensive manhunt that lasted several weeks. Their luck ran out on Saturday, September 27, when officers cornered them along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa highway.
During the arrest, detectives recovered several items suspected to be linked to the syndicate’s operations, including multiple registration plates, three identity cards under different names, five phones, and tools believed to aid in their heists.
“The suspects are in custody awaiting court processing,” the DCI confirmed in a statement.
The arrests come amid heightened concerns over the surge in vehicle thefts across the country. Barely four days ago, eight police officers from Maseno were detained over links to a stolen Land Cruiser, which was later found abandoned near Maseno shopping centre.
The spike in cases has alarmed authorities. In June, the DCI warned that syndicates had adopted sophisticated tactics—ranging from stealing cars from parking lots, exploiting car hire loopholes, to violent highway carjackings—leading to millions in losses for car owners and insurers.
