Police bursts Kampala motorcycle theft network in Ndeeba

Some of the recovered motorcycles at police

Police have arrested five suspects and recovered 12 suspected stolen motorcycles in an intelligence-led operation in Ndeeba, Kampala.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Rachael Kawala said investigators believe the operation is a breakthrough that could help curb the rising motorcycle theft in the city.

The trail began with motorcycle registration number UMA 330NR, which had been reported stolen at Nabweru police station. Investigators followed its movements to Busabala in Katwe Division, where two suspects, Ivan Mugisha, 28, and David Kabanda, 25, were arrested.

Police said the two allegedly stole the motorcycle and concealed it while waiting to remove its tracking device. As the investigation widened, the suspects reportedly led police to Ndeeba, where investigators recovered 12 suspected stolen motorcycles and arrested three more suspects.

Police said the group targeted relatively new motorcycles, took them to Ndeeba and removed their trackers before selling them for about Shs 1.7 million each.

Investigators also linked some of the suspects to theft cases reported at Old Kampala, Nateete, Jinja Road and Nabweru police stations.

According to Kawala, the operation was heavily helped by digital tracking which changing the investigation of vehicle theft, even as criminals attempt to stay ahead of the technology.

At the police monitoring centre, the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) enables officers to identify, track and verify vehicles using digital number plates, records and real-time tracing.

But while the technology provides the lead, police officers still have to follow it. Information generated by the system can be shared with police stations and investigative teams, while the police multimedia unit, video analysis teams and Uganda Revenue Authority help verify vehicle records and movements.

SCALE OF OPERATION

Between January and July 2026, police said the ITMS helped recover 203 stolen motor vehicles and 95 motorcycles. In July alone, 43 of the 49 stolen cars reported were recovered, representing an 88 per cent recovery rate.

For victims, however, the technology matters only when a digital trail ends in the physical recovery of their vehicle. Moses Kitimbo, a boda boda rider in Jinja, experienced this after his motorcycle was stolen from Bugembe while he was watching a televised football match.

He reported the theft to police. Ten days later, his motorcycle was recovered.

“Upon reporting to police, the motorcycle was traced through its digital number plate and recovered in 10 days,” Kitimbo said. “I couldn’t believe it!”

His experience captures the changing nature of vehicle theft investigations. A stolen motorcycle no longer necessarily has to be spotted first by an officer on the road. Its movements can leave a digital trail that investigators can follow.

But criminals are adapting too. In the Ndeeba investigation, police said suspects allegedly dismantled motorcycles for parts or altered them to make them appear older.

That has turned vehicle theft into a race between criminals trying to erase a motorcycle’s identity and investigators trying to preserve and follow its digital trail.

Luke Owoyesigyire, deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, urged the public to report stolen vehicles and motorcycles promptly and provide proof of ownership to support investigations.

Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke has similarly urged victims to report thefts without delay.

“When people report in time, it enables police to respond to scenes of crime quickly, increasing the likelihood of finding and apprehending suspects and averting offences,” he said at a recent press conference.

“That speed of response also enhances tools such as the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System, which uses tracking technology to support interception and recovery of stolen vehicles.”

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