Police in Nairobi have recovered over 100 assorted vehicle registration number plates following a raid on a residential house in Kariobangi South, believed to have operated as an illegal workshop for processing and storing vehicle identification materials.
Police officers drawn from Buruburu and Dandora police stations conducted the operation on December 5. Authorities said the prime suspect associated with the premises managed to escape moments before the raid, but the officers confiscated a large cache of equipment used in forging number plates.
Recovered were 34 complete registration plates, 67 incomplete plates comprising mixed front and rear pieces, 34 half-cut plates, and three rolls of chassis number stickers. Police also recovered a roll of blue iron sheeting, two rolls of white and yellow reflective material, and several number plate frames—items investigators say are normally used in the manufacture or altering of license plates.
The National Police Service said all the exhibits have been secured and will undergo forensic analysis to establish their origin and any links to wider criminal networks.
In a statement released on Saturday, December 6, NPS praised the involved officers, stating that the cooperation from the public greatly supported the success of the operation.
“The National Police Service commends the vigilance of the officers, and notes that the cooperation of members of the public contributed to this successful operation,” the statement read in part.
The service continued to pledge its resolve toward confronting vehicle-related crime, such as the falsification of registration numbers and the trafficking of stolen motor vehicle parts.
Detectives are now on the hunt for the suspect who managed to flee the house, believed to be a production point for fake number plates.
The NPS has also called on members of the public to remain vigilant and continue sharing information that could help in curbing such crimes.
