Seven suspects were arrested in a police raid and 151 smartphones, two laptops and a tablet recovered from them along Mfangano Street in Nairobi.
The mobile phones are believed to have been stolen or robbed from owners in the city. Police said they raided three different locations in the area where they made the recoveries.
The suspects are expected in court tomorrow (Monday) to face various charges. Police appealed to whoever may have been robbed or had his or her mobile phone stolen to visit Central Police Station to help in identifying the gadgets.
The gadgets are usually resold to unsuspecting buyers.
Police say they are handling hundreds of cases where people are facing charges for handling such stolen property.
"Some are facing murder and robbery charges," said Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti.
And that is why police are now warning the public against buying electronic gadgets including mobile phones, laptops and TV sets from unregistered dealers.
In a move aimed at curbing theft of electronic goods, the DCI says members of public should purchase from dealers who have a fixed physical address and have conspicuously displayed the requisite authorization documents including licenses, permits and other local or national approvals.
The DCI said unregistered dealers trade in stolen goods some of which have been robbed from murdered victims.
“It is risky and dangerous to buy any electronic device from suspicious outlets. Most are those who buy stolen items from armed gangsters who have violently robbed innocent citizens and in the process kill and maim them,” said Kinoti.
He said anyone found to have purchased stolen electronic gadgets risks prosecution.
