NAIROBI, Kenya — Police in Nairobi have recovered dozens of suspected stolen motor vehicle registration plates in a coordinated operation in Kariobangi South, intensifying a crackdown on vehicle-related crime across the capital.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), officers from Buruburu and Dandora Police Stations raided a residential house yesterday after receiving what authorities termed “credible information” from members of the public.
The premises were allegedly being used as a processing point for illegal manufacturing and alteration of vehicle identification materials.
During the raid, officers seized 34 complete registration plates, 67 incomplete plates, 34 half-cut plates, three rolls of chassis number stickers, reflective sheets in blue, white, and yellow, and several number plate frames.
Investigators believe the items form part of a wider criminal enterprise linked to vehicle identity tampering, cloning, and possible trafficking of stolen motor vehicle parts.
Police said the suspect behind the operation managed to escape but is being pursued. All recovered exhibits have been secured and will undergo forensic analysis to determine their origin and any possible links to ongoing investigations, including cases involving stolen vehicles or falsified registration documents.
NPS commended the officers involved, noting that the success of the raid was made possible through community intelligence. “The cooperation of members of the public contributed significantly to this successful operation,” the Service said in a statement, adding that enhanced collaboration remains central to effective policing.
Vehicle-related fraud, including plate falsification and chassis manipulation, has been flagged by security experts as a growing threat in urban centres, enabling broader crimes such as car theft, armed robberies, and smuggling.
Under Kenya’s Traffic Act and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) regulations, unauthorised production or alteration of registration plates constitutes a criminal offence punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both.
The latest recovery is expected to bolster ongoing crackdowns on illicit garages and black-market workshops that manufacture fake plates used to disguise stolen cars or evade law-enforcement surveillance systems, including CCTV and Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) infrastructure within the Nairobi Metropolitan area.
Police urged the public to remain vigilant and continue sharing timely information with authorities, as investigations expand to uncover the network behind the Kariobangi operation.
