The arrests followed a series of coordinated security operations targeting crime hotspots across Kampala and surrounding districts amid increasing concern from residents about public safety.
The crackdown comes at a time when law enforcement agencies are increasingly relying on technology-driven crime-fighting systems, particularly Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS), to identify criminal activity, track suspects and improve investigations.
Police spokesperson ACP Rusoke Kituuma said the systems are producing valuable evidence and improving the recovery of stolen property.
According to Police figures, 193 of the 247 vehicles reported stolen have been recovered, representing a recovery rate of 78 percent.
Police have also recovered 100 of the 138 motorcycles reported stolen, equivalent to a recovery rate of 72 percent.
The figures have been cited by security agencies as evidence of the growing effectiveness of digital monitoring technologies in supporting criminal investigations.
However, Kituuma cautioned that technology alone cannot solve Uganda's evolving security challenges.
“Technology does not work in isolation,” he said, noting that successful investigations continue to depend heavily on timely reporting by the public, intelligence gathering and rapid intervention by security personnel.
Police say delayed reporting remains one of the biggest obstacles to recovering stolen vehicles despite the expansion of digital surveillance infrastructure. In many cases, authorities receive reports long after the theft has occurred, reducing the window available for effective tracking and interception.
Kituuma also revealed that some criminal networks quickly dismantle stolen vehicles in concealed garages before security agencies can trace them through surveillance systems.
In other cases, vehicle owners themselves dismantle vehicles for reasons known to them, creating additional complications for investigators attempting to establish the circumstances surrounding reported thefts.
Security officials further acknowledge that surveillance technology has limitations when confronting the social and economic factors driving violent crime.
Police say domestic disputes, land conflicts and community-based disagreements continue to contribute significantly to serious crimes, including murder, demonstrating that cameras alone cannot address the root causes of criminal behaviour.
At the same time, operational challenges continue to affect the effectiveness of anti-crime infrastructure.
Power outages, vandalism, damage arising from ongoing civil works and rapid urban expansion into areas not yet covered by surveillance systems continue to create security blind spots within the metropolitan area.
Investigators are also facing increasing pressure from a growing caseload, with concerns emerging over whether the available detective workforce can keep pace with the volume and complexity of criminal investigations.
The situation has raised broader questions about the sustainability of Kampala's technology-led security strategy as crime patterns become more sophisticated and urban populations continue to expand.
While police credit surveillance technology with strengthening investigations and improving recovery rates, security experts argue that long-term success will depend on strengthening the human systems that support it, including intelligence gathering, community policing, rapid response mechanisms and investigative capacity.
As Kampala increasingly embraces smart surveillance technologies, the central challenge facing security agencies may no longer be whether the technology works, but whether the institutions and personnel behind it can keep pace with the demands of a rapidly changing crime environment.