Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, Lazaro Mambosasa says over 160 persons have been apprehended by police for alleged involvement in the theft of motorbikes, vehicles, and spare parts. He said the suspects were arrested in various parts of the city during the ongoing Police raid that commenced in April 2021.
Mambosasa arrested 49 people last month for the same reasons, adding that new suspects were arrested between April 26, 2021, and May 2, 2021.
“Of the 161 suspects, five of them have been arrested in Zanzibar with 40 stolen motorcycles. The suspects have been stealing motorcycles here in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Coast regions and taking them to Zanzibar to search for customers,” he said.
Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) Mambosasa told newsmen Friday that the suspects will be brought to Dar es Salaam from Zanzibar along with the exhibits and taken to court after completing all legal formalities.
During the operation, they seized two Toyota Noah vehicles with registration number T 770 ACY and Toyota IST with registration number T 137 DMM both stolen in April 2021 and found in May 2021.
“We also seized a Browning Court pistol numbered B113558 TZ CAR 110526 that was stolen on 07 April 2021 in Chanika on the outskirt of Dar es Salaam in Lubakaya area at the informer’s home, where the Police conducted a search operation and successfully seized the weapon on 01 May 2021 in the same areas of Chanika,” he explained.
SACP Mambosasa said the operation was necessary to ensure that Dar es Salaam remains safe for residents, saying the police force will reach those involved in criminal dealngs wherever they run or hide.
In a related development, a 61-year-old man identified as Said Abdallah a resident of Mbagala Kilungule was arrested on May 4, 2021 on suspicion of theft in warehouses and shops using fake keys.
Said Abdallah was arrested in the area with 83 master keys, 47 iron nails used for making the skeleton keys. He said the suspect was interrogated and confessed to have been committing crimes since 2013.
