Police in Kenya have recovered a Toyota Premio that was stolen in Jinja, Uganda, following a successful cross-border operation in Banda Village, Bungoma County. The recovery came after an intelligence tip-off alerted authorities to the vehicle’s presence, approximately 176 kilometres from where it was stolen.
In a statement released on Saturday, October 18, the National Police Service (NPS) confirmed that officers from Bungoma South Sub-County acted swiftly on the intelligence report. Upon arrival, they discovered the stolen car at a local homestead, where its registration plates had been altered to resemble Kenyan ones.
“Following a report of a stolen motor vehicle from Jinja Town in Uganda, officers received intelligence that the vehicle had been sighted in Banda Village, Bungoma County,” the police said. “They rushed to the location and recovered the vehicle. Although the registration number had been changed, the complainant was able to positively identify the car,” the NPS added.
The suspect linked to the theft was arrested and placed in police custody, with plans to charge him in court once investigations are complete. “The vehicle was towed to the station, and the suspect was taken into custody pending processing and arraignment,” the statement read.
Authorities, however, did not disclose when the car was initially stolen or the suspect’s identity.
The incident highlights the growing trend of cross-border car theft between Kenya and Uganda, where organized criminal rings target vehicles in major cities like Kampala and Nairobi, then smuggle them through porous border points such as Malaba and Busia. The syndicates reportedly change number plates, forge vehicle documents, and strip identifiers before selling or rebranding the vehicles.
Investigations suggest that some of these groups operate regionally, extending their illegal trade to countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, and Malawi.
In September 2024, Ugandan authorities recovered several stolen vehicles in Busia, including one belonging to the Inspector General of Police. The continued joint operations between Kenyan and Ugandan law enforcement signal a renewed commitment to combating transnational vehicle theft networks across East Africa.
