KAMPALA: Kiira Joint Security Task Force has in custody a retired ICT secondary teacher identified as George Ogutti, 62, who has been at the strategic level of planning for the criminal gang like drafting 10 year plan for stealing motor vehicle number plates.
Ogutti was also behind typing and printing the threatening letters or leaflets that they leave behind after stealing number plates from residential homes, parking places and factories. He was arrested alongside three more suspects that Police identified as Simon Olowo, Alex Macho and Stephen Mugabe.
Kiira Region Public Relations Officer- ASP James Mubi said the criminal gang has been targeting Indian business communities of Jinja city, Jinja district, Iganga, Namutumba and Tororo district – Busoga sub region and Eastern corridor generally.
After stealing number plates, ASP Mubi said the criminal gang would then ask for money to be sent via mobile money on 0771491993 and 0703932528.
“We have since established that the above telephone numbers belonged to a one Hussein Kato who died sometime back,” Mubi added.
After Police conducted a thorough search, two number plates (UBE 518B and UBL 287G) were recovered from a banana plantation along Gabula road in Jinja city.
Kiira Region Public Relations Officer- ASP Mubi revealed that the operation is still ongoing to arrest more culprits and recover more stolen number plates.
Speaking to reporters at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala in 2020, Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson advised owners of motor vehicles that are kept in open-air parking spaces to remove number plates before going to sleep to avoid them being stolen.
Enanga said this is the only way to foil the practice that is gaining moment in recent days. He explained that although it might be cumbersome, it’s better than going through the process of replacing them when stolen.