The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has apprehended five individuals who were captured on video bragging about their exploits in mugging innocent Kenyans.
The arrests were made following an intelligence-led operation conducted by officers from the Central Police Station in Mombasa.
The DCI revealed that the suspects are believed to be part of an organized criminal group operating within the Sargoi area and its environs.
The video, which went viral on TikTok and Twitter, showed the individuals displaying items allegedly stolen from their victims.
“Upon search, a navy blue jacket that had been captured in the video recording, three iPhones, a Samsung phone, a Memojo phone, and a Bluetooth headphone, among other items, were recovered from them,” DCI said.
The five individuals have been processed and are awaiting arraignment.
The DCI has been leveraging social media platforms to identify and apprehend criminals, especially those whose activities are shared online. In this case, the video clip featured the suspects expressing their intention to steal more goods during an upcoming concert scheduled for December 31, 2023.
The gang members taunted their potential victims, inviting them to the concert headlined by a popular Tanzanian gospel artist, where they claimed more expensive electronics would be available for theft. This proactive approach by the DCI aligns with recent efforts to use online platforms to curb criminal activities.
