The CCTV Command Centre in coordination with the Territorial Police at Kira division, have in custody, a boda boda rider of motorcycle registration number UFG 326 Z who is part of a criminal gang infamous for city thefts.
Mawazi Jimmy was captured at various CCTV zones, actively surveilling unsuspecting clients from banks, up to the stage where they park their vehicles, to either go shopping, or make stop overs, for lunch or drinks etc.
The suspect would constantly alert his accomplices with vehicle intrusion devices in a motor vehicle who would immediately come into contact with the targeted vehicle, break-in and rob the cash and other valuables.
The suspects were using two vehicles, a Toyota Spacio and Toyota Wish to rob their targets.
In the matter under inquiry, they trailed a female victim from KCB bank, at Lugogo Shopping Mall, till when she made a stop over at a supermarket in Sonde.
As soon as she entered the supermarket, her motor vehicle was broken into and cash totaling Shs50m robbed.
More than 20 similar reports of car break-ins, have been reported within the KMP area, where the suspects’ car is parked next to the targeted car.
In addition, new technology has also made it easier for car break ins at drive ways and parking lots at night.
The perpetrators use electronic devices, typically used by mechanics to reprogram the factory settings and also disconnect the alarms, from below the dashboard.
This enables them to strip the vehicle, of its spare parts and electronic gadgets.
“Our joint task teams remain active and aggressive in its efforts to combat car break -ins,” CP Fred Enanga, police spokesperson told media during a weekly press briefing at Naguru Police Headquarters in Kampala.
“As we pursue more suspects of the gang, we encourage all managers of financial intuitions, supermarkets, other business premises, to adopt real time monitoring mechanisms, in their parking slots and CCTV monitoring rooms.”
He said in addition, posting signs indicating that the car is under surveillance and alerting car owners about theft problems and other risk factors is very crucial in countering such thefts.