KAMPALA – Police in Kampala are holding a 25-year-old man on allegations of stealing motor vehicle number plates.
Farouk Matovu, a hawker and resident of Nakawa was arrested from Nakawa near Total after being trailed by officers.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire says during an interrogation, Matovu told admitted he has been stealing many number plates from areas of Ntinda, Kiwatule, Kulambiro, Naguru and surroundings areas.
“Matovu alleged that he moves at night around midnight plucking off vehicle number plates and leaving behind a paper on the front screen of the car stating the telephone number to reach him on if you want to get back your number plate,” said Owoyesigyire in a statement.
“Whenever the victims call the number they are instructed to send money via telephone and then he directs the victim where he hid the number plates,” he added.
Police say the suspect hides stolen number plates in either the nearby bush, buries them in nearby gardens or in heaped rubbish near the victim’s residence.
“After his arrest, he took us around where he hid the victims’ number plates.”
About nine number plates have been recovered from Kigoowa, Northern Bypass, Kiwatule and Kulambiro.
including; UBA 670Q, UAT 783Y, UAW 379Y, UAR 859K, UBB 475N, UAR 261K, UAJ 019P, UAH 907Q and UAR 859K.
