Police Disrupt Motorcycle Theft Syndicate in Tororo
Police in Tororo have apprehended a gang of suspected robbers accused of murdering and stealing motorcycles from boda boda cyclists across the greater Tororo region. The Bukedi South regional police commander, Julius Caesar Tusingwire, revealed that the detained suspects had been orchestrating coordinated attacks on boda boda riders, resulting in fatalities and thefts.
The suspects, whose identities remain undisclosed due to the ongoing operation, were arrested during an intelligence-led operation on Tuesday night in Malaba town. Tusingwire stated that the operation targeted video halls and bars, resulting in the apprehension of a significant number of suspects, including both men and women awaiting screening.
Following public outcry over a spate of murders and robberies targeting boda boda cyclists in recent weeks, law enforcement intensified efforts to curb the criminal activity. Tusingwire explained that the assailants often posed as passengers, luring cyclists to secluded areas where they would fatally assault them and abscond with their motorcycles.
Police are confident of apprehending additional suspects still at large, leveraging information gleaned from those currently in custody. Additionally, authorities recovered potential evidence, including weapons such as pangas, knives, and spearheads, believed to have been used in the crimes.
Moreover, police seized 12 motorcycles bearing Kenyan number plates, alongside intoxicating substances, phones, and equipment used to trap cyclists in isolated locations at night. It is suspected that stolen motorcycles from Tororo are frequently smuggled into Malaba, their number plates replaced with Kenyan credentials, and used predominantly under the cover of darkness.
