Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have recovered several cars and car parts in a yard in Utawala believed to be stolen.

In a statement, DCI said that three suspects believed to be the masterminds of the theft of cars in garages have been arrested.

"Detectives from Nairobi DCI Regional Headquarters who were pursuing a case of a stolen motor vehicle from a garage along Kangundo Road have recovered several suspected stolen cars and motor vehicle parts at a yard in Utawala Estate, Nairobi," DCI stated.

"Three suspects believed to be members of a well-organized criminal ring that targets vehicles left for repair at garages were also rounded up in the operation, which was augmented by a team from DCI Kayole."

The three suspects include Matthew Odhiambo Ndacha, Joseph Otieno Ngeso and Stephen Kabinku Mwangi.

The trio, according to the DCI, conspired with the yard owner to steal a Toyota Allion Registration number KBM 157S whose owner had left it at the Kangundo Road repair shop, before starting to dismantle it for sale as spare parts.

The owner of the yard, Peter Mwangi Njuguna, was not arrested during the operation which saw the stolen car recovered.

Other items recovered during the operation include three unidentified Toyota Probox cars, a Toyota station wagon chassis CE107-5008143, rear lights for the dismantled Toyota Allion, eight box lorry containers, a Mistubishi truck, assorted vandalised engine parts, ten sets of vehicle registration plates and a Toyota Allion fixed with a Toyota Premio bonnet and boot and fixed with registration plates KBY 146F.

"On storming the yard whose owner (Peter Mwangi Njuguna) was out of site, several recoveries including the reported Toyota Allion were made," the crimebusters added.

The suspects are being interrogated to identify more members of the suspected criminal syndicate.

In February, police in Nakuru arrested four suspects of robbery with violence and recovered a lorry stolen in one of the incidences.

The detectives from DCI were pursuing a robbery incident reported at Naivasha police station on Valentine's Day. They intercepted two suspects believed to be accomplices in the case, who were driving a Mitsubishi truck (FH) Registration Number KCB 383Z.

In a statement, DCI noted that the two suspects, Evans Mwangi Njenga, 45, and Geoffrey Kamau Hinga, 53, were on their way to meet two other suspected accomplices in Njoro town.

An ambush came through when Peter Wahinyo Wanyoike, 45 and Julius Gichagu Wanguno, 32 dropped at the vehicle looking for their suspected partners in crime.

"Four suspects connected to two violent robberies reported in Naivasha and Gilgil have been arrested today in Njoro, Nakuru County, and a motor vehicle stolen in one of the robberies recovered. Acting on intelligence, a joint team of Nairobi and Nakuru detectives while pursuing a robbery incident reported at Naivasha Police Station on Valentines Day intercepted two suspects believed to be accomplices in the case, who were driving a Mitsubishi truck (FH) Reg. No KCB 383Z," the statement read in part.

"Upon interrogations, detectives established that the two suspects; Evans Mwangi Njenga, 45 and Geoffrey Kamau Hinga, 53 were on their way to meet two other suspected accomplices in Njoro town. An ambush staged came through when Peter Wahinyo Wanyoike, 45 and Julius Gichagu Wanguno, 32 dropped at the vehicle looking for their suspected partners in crime."

DCI said the truck had been robbed in Gilgil at Elementaita area when the driver who had been hired to offer transport services was abducted, sodomized and left tied up at a construction site within the Punda Milia section on Friday, February 23.

The 38-year-old driver was also robbed of Ksh55,000 and his mobile phone by a six-member gang, who disabled the lorry tracker and disappeared.