MASAKA.Police in Masaka have arrested 10 people in connection with the alleged involvement in theft of motorcycles in Masaka City and the neighborhood.
The suspects who are in detention at Nyendo police station were arrested in an operation in which police also recovered 40 motorcycles which are said to be stolen.
According to police the operation targeted spare shops and garages in Nakayiba, Kayirikiti, Villa Road and in Nyendo, a Masaka city suburb among other areas in Masaka.
Preliminary police investigations indicate that motor cycle robbers have been stealing motorcycles and selling them to dealers of spare parts which they dismantle and re-sell as spare parts.
Police identify some of the suspects as Godfrey Ssebowa who operate a garage in which police recovered 12 motorcycles, at Joseph Muwonge’s garage four motor cycles were recovered and seven number plates among others.
Southern Regional police spokesperson Twaha Kasirye has confirmed the arrests saying that operations to crack down on people involved in motorcycle robbery are still going on and asked those involved in this vice to stop it because they risk being arrested.
“The region has been stuck with the challenge of motorcycle thefts, in which several cyclists have lost their lives, the operation and the arrests we hope is going to help in reducing this vice, most of the motorcycles recovered did not have proper documentation which is an indicator that they could be stolen” he added.
Motorcyclists have welcomed the operation saying that it will help them get some relief because the area has been stuck with the challenge of high cases of motorcycle robbery.
“We appreciate the security agencies in the region that this time round they have come out to conduct the operation in garages, it’s unfortunate that the garages where we take our motorcycle for service are the one that are involved in theft of motorcycles, we pray that they can be prosecuted so that the killed cyclists can get justice” Andrew Batema ,a motorcyclist in Nyendo added.
The suspects have however dismissed the claims saying that they are traded by their business rivals due to business competition.
“it’s true we buy motorcycles ,but we don’t buy motorcycles that don’t have proper documentation, we have never received any complaints from any motorcycle we have sold in the past, this could be a business rivalry which we expect that police can investigate this and tell the public the right people who are involved in motorcycle thefts in the region”. Ssebowa, one of the suspects said.