At least five vehicles have been recovered in operations mounted by the Police Flying Squad in the areas of Masaka and Mukono. The operations that began on January 3, 2024, in Masaka, have resulted in the arrest of three suspected robbers.
Farouq Lukyamuzi, a land broker in Kyengera town council, Wakiso District, was the first suspect arrested in Masaka on January 3 and led police to a vehicle that two of his other colleagues were using to rob vehicles. At the time of his arrest, Lukyamuzi was trying to steal one of the vehicles that were parked at a burial ceremony in Butale village.
The Flying Squad said the vehicle which Lukyamuzi and his colleagues were using had several number plates hidden under the car seats and a collection of breaking implements.
The Flying Squad again carried out another operation in Masaka on January 5, where they gave chase to a vehicle which car robbers were using to survey the various parking places. Police said the suspected thugs were surveilling around, in a motor vehicle with a fake number plate UBM 858N that had been fixed on top of the original number plate UBA 858N.
The flying squad deflated the car tyres near Total Petrol Station, along Masaka-Kyotera road and arrested one suspect, unidentified as Edward Ddamulira who admitted that they were using master keys to rob valuables from vehicles parked in busy places, hotels, markets and on roadsides, within the greater Kampala area, cities and major towns across Uganda.
Ddamulira, a 40-year-old, resident of Kivumbi zone, Nateete-Kampala, said he was picked by two of his accomplices from Kyengera and their target was Masaka City, where they had already broken into two motor vehicles. In one of the vehicles at Nabyewanga, Ddamulira’s group stole a bag with clothing and in Lukaya town, where they stole an Infinix mobile phone and a bag containing clothes.
Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga said the group has been selling the stolen vehicles to one Siraje in Iganga and one Brian in Bwaise who are now on security’s wanted list.
Another suspect, John Wandera has been arrested by the Flying Squad in Mukono District after he was found in custody of a white Toyota Canter registration number UBE 973W that had been stolen from Nsangi. Wandera is a resident of Namubiru village in Nama Sub-county. Wandera named his accomplices Isaac Wasiko, Patrick Mukyepere, Gideon Kanyankole and one Ivan.
Enanga said the arrest of the notorious criminal rackets demonstrates the police resolve to counter criminal elements behind motor vehicle robberies and bodabodas. He added that often, after stealing the motor vehicles, the thieves alter the chassis number, colour and number plates of the said vehicles.
“We also want to applaud our Flying Squad teams and thank all volunteers for the information that helped us to crack down on those criminal gangs. The operations are ongoing,” Enanga added.
Other recovered vehicles include UBB 071U, UFL 975H, and UAW 025L.
