Police in Kampala have arrested 56 suspects following an intelligence-led operation targeting suspected criminals operating under the guise of furniture workshop workers in Nsambya.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Racheal Kawala, the operation was conducted on April 29, 2026, at around 3:00pm by officers from Uganda Police Force attached to Kabalagala Police Station.
The crackdown focused on Nsambya Central Zone, an area that has recently drawn concern from the public due to a surge in street crimes.
Residents and motorists have reported increasing cases of phone snatching, muggings, and pickpocketing, particularly during peak traffic hours.
Police investigations indicate that many suspects had embedded themselves within furniture workshops, posing as brokers and casual laborers.
From these positions, they allegedly monitored potential targets before carrying out thefts, including snatching mobile phones and stealing motor vehicle parts such as side mirrors from cars stuck in traffic.
“Following thorough screening, 56 suspects, many of whom have been on our watch list, were identified and arrested,” Kawala said in a statement. She added that the suspects are currently in custody and will be processed for arraignment in court.
Background: Intensified Urban Crime Operations
The latest operation is part of a broader effort by the Uganda Police Force to curb urban crime across Kampala and its surrounding areas.
In recent months, similar intelligence-led raids have been conducted in suburbs such as Kabalagala, Katwe, and Nansana, where authorities have targeted suspected criminal gangs linked to street theft and robbery.
These operations have increasingly focused on hotspots where suspects are believed to blend into informal sectors, including markets, transport hubs, and small-scale workshops.
Police say such environments provide cover for organized petty crime networks that exploit heavy human and vehicle traffic.
Security agencies have vowed to sustain the operations, urging the public to remain vigilant and continue sharing information to support crime prevention efforts.
