Police Probe Mob Killing of Two Suspected Phone Theft Suspects in Eldoret’s Kimumu Estate

By Staff Reporter

Police in Eldoret have launched investigations after two men suspected of involvement in a series of mobile phone thefts were lynched and their bodies set ablaze by an angry mob in the Block 10 area of Kimumu Estate on Tuesday night.

According to eyewitnesses, the two suspects had allegedly been linked to multiple incidents of phone snatching and petty theft within the estate and surrounding areas.

Residents reportedly cornered the suspects before attacking them, overwhelming police officers who had arrived at the scene in an attempt to arrest and rescue the duo.

A resident who witnessed the incident said frustration among locals had been growing due to rising insecurity in the area.

“Cases of phone snatching and house break-ins have become common in this area. Residents have been complaining for months after losing phones and other valuables,” said the resident.

Police condemned the mob action and urged residents to allow security agencies to handle criminal matters through the legal justice system.

“Investigations into the incident have commenced, and we urge members of the public not to take the law into their own hands,” a police officer involved in the investigations said.

The incident comes amid growing concern over increased cases of mobile phone theft and burglary in Eldoret, particularly following the town’s elevation to city status.

Block 10 in Kimumu has recently recorded a spike in burglaries and electronics theft, prompting intensified security operations by police.

The latest mob incident also comes days after officers attached to Eldoret Central Police Station cracked down on a suspected illegal mobile phone syndicate operating from Petresha Building within the Eldoret Central Business District.

Police investigations reportedly linked the network to a broader criminal syndicate operating across Eldoret, Kisumu, and parts of Western Kenya, facilitating the movement and resale of stolen mobile phones.

Several suspects linked to the alleged cartel were arrested and arraigned in court. However, the accused persons were later released on hefty bond terms without the option of cash bail, with the matter remaining active before the courts.

According to police, investigations into the wider syndicate are still ongoing.

“The syndicate had become highly organised, but several operations have already been conducted and key suspects traced,” a senior officer said.

Members of the public have praised Eldoret Central Police Station OCS James Lenaso for leading operations targeting the long-running phone theft syndicate that has troubled residents and businesses in Eldoret for years.

Security officials, however, continue to caution residents against mob justice, stressing that suspects should be surrendered to law enforcement agencies for lawful prosecution.

The bodies of the two deceased men were moved to the morgue as investigations continue.