The joint security forces have revealed that they are looking for unidentified highway robbers who robbed a full fuel tanker and gold packets worth shs2.5 billion in recent weeks.
It is said that thugs driving Toyota Wish vehicles have allegedly committed other robberies, including attacks on mobile money agents and other targeted business people across the country.
This was revealed by police spokesperson Fred Enanga during a security briefing in Kampala, where he warned the public to be wary of people who may be following them in the aforementioned car type, which is now being used as a getaway vehicle by criminals.
He said that police and sister security agencies are investigating 45 robberies committed in recent days, in which criminals made off with large sums of money, including a fuel tanker loaded with paraffin and gold, which are yet to be found.
According to him, five thugs armed with pangas first intercepted a mobile money dealer identified as Nasib Kizito at Nsooba and robbed him of unspecified amount of money and mobile phones before disappearing on a motorcycle.
Enanga told the press that another group of thieves attacked a fuel pump attendant of Stabex Kamuli and robbed shs8 million from her.
It is said that the victim identified as Jackline Mukyala was traveling on a boda boda with cash to the bank when she was intercepted by a Toyota Wish registration number UBL 012Y whose occupants grabbed her off the motorcycle and stuffed her in the car boot and sped off up to Iganga where they dumped her after being robbed.
“Good enough we have CCTV footage which we reviewed and identified who these suspects are and inquiries are ongoing in Busoga North and Kamuli district,” Enanga said.
The other incident which has shocked police occurred along Busia-Jinja road where a group of thugs also in a Toyota Wish intercepted and a semi-trailer loaded with paraffin destined for Kampala.
Reports indicate that the thugs stopped the truck registration number UAU 402E/UBF 209T, they tied the driver’s both hands and legs and robbed him of shs120,000
before driving away with him. He was identified as Abdul Noor, a Somalis national.
It is said that another group drove away the truck and efforts are underway to trace it.
Further, the police spokesperson revealed that law enforcement body in collaboration with CMI and ISO are investigating a highway robbery in which armed thugs robbed eight packets of gold worth shs2.5 billion from employees of bullion refinery limited in Luwero.
Enanga told the press that the group of employees were traveling in a Toyota Wish with the precious mineral when they were intercepted by five armed men moving in a Toyota Hiace commonly known as “Drone”
“After intercepting them, they tied the victims and transported them in a Toyota Wish that they were traveling in to Kampala up to Nseke trading Centre in in Butuntumula where they were abandoned. The suspects got away in a drone,” Enanga said.