Police in Kampala are investigating a suspected motorcycle theft and illegal resale network after recovering 80 motorcycles believed to have been stolen and concealed at a parking facility during an intelligence-led operation.
The operation, conducted by the police intelligence unit in coordination with different divisions under the Kampala Metropolitan Police, was launched following investigations into a motorcycle allegedly linked to a separate criminal incident.
According to the Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, detectives traced the suspect motorcycle to a parking yard in Kampala, where officers stumbled upon a much larger cache of suspected stolen property.
“We were conducting investigations into a motorcycle that allegedly participated in a criminal act. While tracing the rider, the investigation led us to a parking facility near Power King, where we recovered 80 motorcycles,” Owoyesigyire said.
Preliminary findings suggest that the motorcycles may have been stolen from different parts of the country, including Masaka and Hoima districts. Investigators say coordination with regional police units is underway to verify ownership and link the recovered motorcycles to reported theft cases.
Police further suspect that some motorcycles had their registration plates removed or tampered with to make them harder to trace before being resold on the black market. Several suspects found at the facility were arrested to assist with ongoing investigations, although the owner of the premises reportedly fled upon learning of the operation and is currently being sought.
Authorities also recovered several GPS tracking devices believed to have been forcibly removed or disabled, raising further suspicion that the site was being used to interfere with tracking systems, particularly on motorcycles purchased through loan arrangements or fitted with security devices.
“These devices appeared to have been disabled, and we suspect this location was being used to tamper with tracking systems, particularly on motorcycles purchased on loan or fitted with security trackers,” Owoyesigyeye added.
Police say the recovery highlights an emerging trend of organised motorcycle theft networks that target both private owners and financial institutions offering asset financing. Many of the recovered motorcycles were found without number plates, complicating immediate identification.
The Uganda Police Force has urged members of the public who have recently lost motorcycles to report to Kampala Central Police Station with proof of ownership to assist in identification and recovery.
Security officials have also encouraged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious parking yards or storage facilities where motorcycles are kept for long periods without clear activity, saying community cooperation is key in dismantling organised theft syndicates.
Investigations into the full extent of the network, the recovered motorcycles, and the whereabouts of the facility owner are ongoing.