NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 8- Police in Nairobi have unearthed a syndicate behind the rampant stealing of motorcycles in Nairobi and parts of Nyanza, following multiple complaints by victims.
According to detectives drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), a criminal syndicate has been dismantling the motorcycles, after stealing them.
They would then be smuggled to Ethiopia, the detectives said.
One of the ring leaders according to the DCI is Jibril Hassan Edin, who describes himself as a businessman based in Nairobi.
He has since been arrested and is being held at Capitol Hill police station.
“He is linked to the crime. We want to know more about him,” a detective privy to the ongoing investigations told Shahidi News.
Detectives have since been granted permission to hold the suspect until next week on Wednesday.
The orders were obtained by corporal Patricia Mwendwa of the Nairobi area DCI headquarters.
According to police, one of the companies dealing in the sale of motorcycles has lost 169 motorbikes between January and September this year. They are worth Sh20.3 million.
In an affidavit filed at the court, Cpl. Mwendwa said the lead suspect has been luring innocent bodaboda riders to go for motorbikes on hire purchase and strike deals with motorcycle dealers that they would complete payment within a year.
He would give them Sh15,000 each to go for the motorbike then give them an additional Sh10,000 to deliver them to him in Eastleigh, the detective said.
The bikes, through the suspect’s supervision, would have the bikes dismantled to remove the tracking devices affixed on them by lending agencies.
This was to ensure they evade their tracking.
The detective said the cartel would also remove the registration plates and pack the bikes in cartons and then take them to Moyale.
“Companies will remain fruitlessly looking for individuals who bought the bikes on hire purchase,” the detective said.
Police have also arrested three other suspects and are being held at Kileleshwa police station.
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