Police in Kampala have arrested five suspects and impounded 12 suspected stolen motorcycles following an intelligence-led operation targeting a network believed to be behind a series of motorcycle thefts in the city.
The operation was carried out on 25 August 2026 at around 5pm in Ndeeba, Katwe Division, following growing public concern over the increasing theft of motorcycles across the Kampala Metropolitan Area.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala, the breakthrough followed the theft of motorcycle registration number UMA 330NR, which was reported at Nabweru Police Station.
A team of investigators launched intelligence-led inquiries and traced the stolen motorcycle to the Busabala area in Katwe Division.
Two suspects were subsequently arrested. Police identified them as Mugisha Ivan, 28, and Kabanda David, 25.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects allegedly targeted relatively new motorcycles before taking them to Ndeeba, where tracking devices were removed to make it difficult for the owners and police to trace them.
The motorcycles were then allegedly sold for about Shs1.7 million each.
Following their arrest, the two suspects reportedly led police to several locations and individuals in Ndeeba believed to be involved in the disposal of stolen motorcycles.
Police impounded 12 suspected stolen motorcycles during the operation and arrested additional suspects, bringing the total number of people in custody to five.
Investigators have also established that some of the stolen motorcycles were allegedly dismantled and sold as spare parts, while others were modified to make them appear older before being resold.
Police said some of the suspects are also linked to several other motorcycle theft cases reported at Old Kampala, Nateete, Jinja Road and Nabweru police stations.
Investigations are ongoing as police work to identify and arrest more people suspected of taking part in the theft, concealment, dismantling and sale of stolen motorcycles.
