NAIROBI, Kenya — A dramatic video showing a passenger jumping out of a moving matatu to chase a suspected phone snatcher has sparked attention on social media.
The footage shows the suspected thief moving towards the window of the moving matatu before swiftly opening it and grabbing a passenger’s phone.
The suspect is then seen running away, weaving between other matatus as the vehicle continues along the road.
Determined to recover his phone, the passenger climbs out through the same window and immediately gives chase.
It remains unclear whether the passenger managed to catch the suspect or recover the stolen phone.
Phone Snatching Remains A Nairobi Challenge
The incident comes amid continued reports of phone snatching in Nairobi, with police conducting operations targeting suspected thieves and networks dealing in stolen mobile devices.
In July, the National Police Service said phone snatching remained a common challenge in the capital, with criminals targeting pedestrians and motorists before using busy streets to escape.
Police arrested four people in separate operations in Kawangware and the Nairobi Bus Station area, recovering mobile phones and other electronic gadgets believed to have been stolen.
Days earlier, officers arrested five suspects in Mathare’s Kosovo area and recovered 65 assorted mobile phones, three laptops and other items believed to have been stolen.
More Than 900 Phones Recovered
The scale of the suspected stolen-phone trade was further highlighted in January when detectives recovered more than 900 phones in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
The devices were intercepted in packages allegedly destined for Uganda.
In August, police also reported that four men had allegedly robbed a passenger of a phone from a moving vehicle in Githurai, triggering a pursuit.
One of the suspects was later fatally shot. However, his family disputed the police account and said he had been wrongly accused.
The latest video has renewed concerns over the risks faced by Nairobi residents using mobile phones near busy roads and while travelling on public transport.
