Police have arrested a man suspected of leading a vehicle theft syndicate believed to be responsible for stealing at least 50 cars across six districts.
The suspect, Abdu Karim Mugisha, was arrested in Entebbe Town, Wakiso District, and has been in Police custody for about two weeks as detectives continue to build their case against him.
According to security sources, investigators believe Mugisha was part of a well-organised criminal network that mainly targeted Toyota saloon cars before selling them through illegal channels.
His arrest is said to have helped detectives make progress in several long-running vehicle theft investigations, with Police linking him to cases reported in Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Jinja and Mbarara, among other areas.
Police records indicate that some of the cases were registered at Central Police Station Kampala, Nateete Police Station, Kajjansi Police Station and Entebbe Police Station.
Investigators have already recovered some of the stolen vehicles in Mukono District, while operations to trace and recover more vehicles are continuing. Security sources say information obtained during the investigation has led officers to additional locations where other stolen vehicles are believed to be hidden.
Detectives also suspect Mugisha worked with a wider criminal network that allegedly sold the stolen vehicles through a Kampala-based car dealer. The suspected dealer is currently on the run, and specialised security units have launched a manhunt to track him down.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, detectives were able to strengthen their case after fingerprints allegedly recovered from several vehicle theft scenes matched records linked to Mugisha. The forensic evidence is said to have provided investigators with a significant lead in connecting him to multiple theft incidents.
The arrest was carried out by the Flying Squad, a specialised unit under the Directorate of Crime Intelligence that investigates serious and organised crimes.
The investigation comes as Police warn motorists about increasingly sophisticated vehicle theft syndicates. Authorities say criminals are now using advanced technology, deception and cross-border networks to steal vehicles and evade detection, making it more challenging for law enforcement agencies to recover stolen property.
Police say investigations are ongoing and expect more arrests and vehicle recoveries as detectives continue dismantling the suspected criminal network.
