Police in Kajjansi have arrested a suspect in connection to the theft of motor vehicle number plates and recovered over 30 hidden by him.
This was confirmed by Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, during the weekly security briefing at the Naguru police headquarters on Monday, January 6, 2025.
Onyango identified Mumbere Brian, also known as Natamba, as the primary suspect in a series of number plate thefts.
“Following his arrest, an intelligence-led operation was conducted on January 1, 2025, in areas such as Zana, Bunamwaya, and Ngobe, resulting in the recovery of 16 number plates hidden by the suspect. These plates were likely hidden to extort money from the victims, “Onyango said.
He stated that following further interrogation the suspect had more number plates hidden in various areas within and outside Kajjansi Division.
“Consequently, a joint operation was conducted on January 4, 2025, by officers from Kajjansi and Nateete Division, leading to the recovery of an additional 15 number plates hidden in areas such as Kisigula, Katale, Bunamwaya, and Ngobe,” Onyango added.
Onyango noted that recovery of these plates is a critical step in combating the problem of number plate theft, which can have detrimental effects, such as identity theft and abuse.
In July 2021, police arrested two suspects involved in stealing vehicle number plates and extorting money from victims. Police recovered 46 plates during that operation.
