Katwe Police Division has begun tracing the rightful owners of dozens of recovered stolen mobile phones after many of the devices remained unclaimed despite repeated public appeals. Police recovered 120 iPhones on July 21, 2026, following investigations into the theft of a police officer’s phone in Kisenyi on July 16. The investigation led to the arrest of Richard Mugabi, who allegedly told detectives he had sold the stolen phone for 900,000 Shillings to Juma Mugerwa, a phone dealer operating a shop at Cooper Complex.
In a separate operation on July 24, Kabalagala Police recovered 11 suspected stolen iPhones and arrested one person identified as Mariam Nakitende. Police say several other suspects linked to the racket are still on the run. Following the recoveries, police urged victims of phone theft across Kampala to visit designated stations and verify whether their devices were among those recovered. However, the response has been lower than expected, with many claimants unable to prove ownership.
A police officer attached to the Katwe recovery section told URN that many people fail to present essential evidence such as purchase receipts, original phone boxes, matching IMEI numbers, the unique 15-digit identification code assigned to every mobile phone, warranty documents, or police case reference numbers for the reported theft. Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachel Kawala said only 16 people have so far successfully proved ownership and had their phones returned.
She said police have now resorted to tracing owners using the phones’ serial numbers in collaboration with telecom companies. The process involves matching the devices’ unique identifiers with subscriber records, and so far, three owners have already been contacted. Among those reunited with their phones is Joyce Nabukenya, whose iPhone was snatched by thieves while she was caught in traffic in Nsambya last month.
“I reported the case at Kabalagala and was given a reference number. When I heard on the radio that police had recovered several phones in Kampala, I went to check because mine was stolen in Nsambya. Police advised me to cross-check at Katwe or CPS, and I was able to identify mine,” Nabukenya said.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke explained that while most stolen Android phones are often wiped and restored to factory settings, making them difficult to trace, iPhones retain security features that enable investigators to identify and track their rightful owners. He said police are confident more owners will be identified as the tracing exercise continues.
Police have intensified operations this month against suspected markets for stolen mobile phones across the Kampala Metropolitan area, particularly in the Central Business District. Two major operations at Cooper Complex resulted in the recovery of dozens of suspected stolen phones and the arrest of several suspects.
According to the 2025 Annual Crime Report, Katwe, Kawempe and Old Kampala police divisions recorded the highest number of mobile phone theft cases in the country over the past five years.
The Director of the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), Assistant Inspector General of Police Tom Magambo, acknowledged that phone theft remains a major challenge. However, he said the ongoing operations are intended to dismantle criminal networks involved in stealing and trafficking mobile phones, many of which are reportedly smuggled and sold in neighbouring countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
