Eight arrested in operation targeting side mirror, phone theft syndicates

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Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) on Thursday said its territorial police at Jinja Road, following complaints against individuals involved in phone and side mirror theft, carried out an operation and arrested eight suspects.

Racheal Kawala, the KMP spokesperson, revealed that the operations were conducted in the areas of Wampewo, Punjan, the former Electoral Commission offices, and around the Jinja Road traffic lights in Central Division, Kampala.

“Following public outcry over incidents of phone snatching, theft of side mirrors, and other vehicle parts along the Jinja Road traffic lights in Kampala, Police at Jinja Road Division conducted disruptive operations on Thursday, May 28, 2026, between 5:00 am and 9:00 am,” Kawala said.

“As a result, eight suspects were arrested,” she added.

Kawala noted that preliminary findings indicate that some of the suspects had been masquerading as hawkers and vendors while engaging in criminal activities along the road.

“The arrested suspects have since been charged accordingly and are pending appearance before court. These operations will continue as part of ongoing efforts to combat crime and enhance public safety within the KMP area,” she added.

The arrested suspects have since been charged accordingly and are pending appearance before court. (Courtesy)

Crime statistics

While releasing the Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report 2025 in April 2026, the Inspector General of Police, Abbas Byakagaba, said a total of 196,405 cases were reported to police compared to 218,715 in 2024, representing a 10.2% reduction. Out of the reported cases, 115,301 were submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, of which 79,291 were taken to court.

In 2025, a total of 8,064 cases, representing 4.1% of the total reported cases, involved child-related offences. These declined from 9,408 reported in 2024, reflecting a 14.3% decrease. Out of these, 848 cases were taken to court, 176 secured convictions, 68 were dismissed, six resulted in acquittals, and 598 are still undergoing trial. A total of 3,486 cases were not proceeded with, while 3,730 remain under inquiry.

Out of the 32 policing regions in Uganda, KMP South registered the highest number of cases with 13,950, followed by Rwizi with 13,416, KMP North with 13,340, North Kyoga with 12,728, and KMP East with 10,388.

At district and divisional level, Wakiso Police Division registered the highest number of cases with 3,177, followed by Luweero Police Station with 3,123, Mukono Police Division with 2,880, Tororo Police Station with 2,831, and Ntungamo Police Station with 2,825.