Police in Kampala Metropolitan have made a major breakthrough in investigations into motorcycle thefts after an intelligence-led operation led to the arrest of five suspects and the recovery of 12 motorcycles believed to have been stolen.
The operation was conducted on August 25, 2026, at around 5:00pm in the Ndeeba area under Katwe Division, Kampala District, following growing public concern over increasing cases of motorcycle robberies.
The operation was launched after the theft of motorcycle registration number UMA 330NR, which had been reported at Nabweru Police Station. Through investigations and intelligence gathering, police traced the stolen motorcycle to the Busabala area in Katwe Division.
A rapid police response led to the arrest of two suspects allegedly linked to the theft. They were identified as Mugisha Ivan, 28, and Kabanda David, 25.
Police said the suspects were allegedly hiding the motorcycle as they waited to remove its tracking device. Preliminary investigations indicate that the group mainly targets relatively new motorcycles, which are later taken to Ndeeba where tracking devices are removed before disposal.
According to police findings, the stolen motorcycles are sold at about Shs1.7 million each. Some are reportedly dismantled and sold as spare parts, while others are modified to make them appear older before being resold to unsuspecting buyers.
The suspects later guided police to locations in Ndeeba where more individuals and places allegedly involved in the disposal of stolen motorcycles over the past three months were identified. As a result, police impounded 12 suspected stolen motorcycles and arrested additional suspects.
Police said investigations have also established that some of the suspects are connected to other motorcycle theft cases reported at Old Kampala Police Station, Nateete Police Station, Jinja Road Police Station, and Nabweru Police Station.
The five suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue. Police are also pursuing other individuals believed to be involved in the theft, concealment, dismantling, and sale of stolen motorcycles.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Racheal Kawala said efforts are ongoing to dismantle motorcycle theft networks and ensure that those involved are brought to justice.
