The Police Flying Squad has conducted operations in the Masaka and Mukono districts, resulting in the recovery of at least five cars.
Following the start of operations in Masaka on January 3, 2024, three alleged robbers have been taken into custody.
The first person detained in Masaka on January 3 was Farouq Lukyamuzi, a land broker in the Kyengera town council in the Wakiso District.
He helped police locate a car that two of his other colleagues were using to rob cars.
Lukyamuzi attempted to take one of the cars parked at a funeral in Butale village at the time of his detention.
According to the Flying Squad, the automobile that Lukyamuzi and his associates were driving had number plates tucked between the seats as well as a variety of tools for breaking things.
On January 5, the Flying Squad conducted another operation in Masaka, this time pursuing a car that car thieves were using to look over the different parking lots.
According to the police, the alleged thugs were driving a car with a fictitious license plate, UBM 858N, mounted on top of the real one, UBA 858N, and surveilling the area.
The flying squad deflated the tires of the car near the Total Petrol Station on the Masaka-Kyotera road.
They then arrested one suspect, who was identified as Edward Ddamulira and who confessed that they were robbing valuables from cars parked in busy areas, hotels, markets, and by the side of the road in the greater Kampala area as well as in major towns and cities throughout Uganda, using master keys.
40-year-old Ddamulira of Kivumbi zone, Nateete-Kampala, claimed he was chosen by two accomplices from Kyengera, and Masaka City was their intended destination.
They had already broken into two cars there. Ddamulira’s crew grabbed a bag containing garments from one of the trucks at Nabyewanga, and they also stole an Infinix mobile phone and a bag carrying clothes from Lukaya town.
According to police spokesperson Fred Enanga, the gang has been selling the pilfered cars to two people who are currently on security’s wanted list: a Brian in Bwaise and a Siraje in Iganga.
The Flying Squad in Mukono District has detained John Wandera, another suspect, after discovering him in possession of a white Toyota Canter with the license plate UBE 973W that had been taken from Nsangi.
Wandera lives in Nama Sub-county’s Namubiru village. Wandera listed Patrick Mukyepere, Gideon Kanyankole, Isaac Wasiko, and one Ivan as his accomplices.
According to Enanga, the apprehension of the infamous criminal organizations shows the police’s determination to combat the criminal elements responsible for car robberies and bodabodas.
He continued by saying that after robbing cars, thieves frequently change the cars’ color, number plate, and chassis number.
As well as praising our Flying Squad teams, we would want to express our gratitude to all of the volunteers whose intelligence enabled us to take action against those criminal gangs. The activities are still in progress, Enanga stated.
The following vehicles have also been recovered: UBB 071U, UFL 975H, and UAW 025L.