By Andrew Kariuki

A social media advert on a popular platform triggered a chain of events that led to the recovery of stolen mobile phones and the arrest of two suspects in Nairobi’s Central Business District.

The breakthrough came after a woman whose mobile phone had been stolen at a school along Ngong Road came across an online advert featuring a handset that closely matched her missing device.

She reported the matter to police officers, who immediately launched investigations. Using mobile tracking technology, officers traced the phone’s signal to a building near Khoja Stage in the heart of Nairobi’s CBD.

What initially appeared to be a case involving a single stolen handset quickly escalated into a larger operation after officers recovered the complainant’s phone alongside several other assorted high-value mobile phones suspected to have been stolen from unsuspecting members of the public.

Police recovered a total of 22 mobile phones during the operation, delivering a significant blow to a suspected criminal network profiting from stolen property.

Two suspects found within the premises were arrested and taken into police custody as investigations continue.

Authorities said the successful operation highlights the growing role of technology in crime detection and the importance of public vigilance, noting that what began as a report of a stolen phone ultimately led to the disruption of a suspected theft ring.