Police in Isinya, Kajiado County, have recovered government stores, copper wire, Administration Police uniforms, and other equipment during an operation targeting suspected criminals in Majengo Estate.
In a statement on Thursday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the operation was conducted after officers received actionable intelligence about activities at a suspected hideout in the estate.
Officers reportedly rushed to the location after receiving information that suspects were burning copper wire to remove its insulation, but the individuals fled before police could close in.
“Acting on actionable intelligence, the officers rushed to the suspect’s hideout in Majengo Estate, where they were reportedly burning copper wire to strip off its insulation. But before the officers could close in, the suspects vanished.”
A subsequent search of one of the houses associated with the suspects led to the recovery of several items, including Administration Police uniforms.
The recovered uniform items included a beret, shirt, jungle jacket, trousers and a maroon belt.
Police also recovered pliers, tin snips, solar equipment and copper wire, alongside other assorted items.
The DCI detectives are now investigating the recovered property and pursuing leads to identify and apprehend the suspects.
“The hunt for the suspects remains active, with detectives from Isinya taking charge of the investigations and pursuing leads to apprehend those involved, recover additional stolen property and establish the full extent of the alleged criminal enterprise.”
The investigation will also seek to establish the source and ownership of the recovered government stores and equipment, as well as how the Administration Police uniforms came into the possession of the suspects.
The recovery comes amid continuing concerns over vandalism and theft of critical infrastructure in Kenya, particularly copper and other electrical equipment that can be sold through scrap-metal networks.
Kenya Power has previously reported cases involving the theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure. In June 2025, the utility said three people, including a police officer, were arrested after allegedly vandalising high-voltage underground power cables near Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.
The cables supplied the Ragati and Nairobi West substations and also affected redundancy for Nairobi city centre and surrounding areas.
The scale of the wider problem is also reflected in figures released by Kenya Power during an earlier crackdown. The company said 1,026 people had been arrested and prosecuted for various illegal activities within the electricity network since July of the previous year, with 472 cases involving vandalism, theft of energy equipment and damage to energy infrastructure.
Kenya Power's 2024/25 annual report further listed vandalism among the causes of fatal public electrocutions, accounting for seven per cent of recorded cases in the reporting period.
The DCI has also continued to pursue cases involving the theft and vandalism of public infrastructure. In January 2025, detectives arrested two suspects and recovered structural metal beams allegedly stolen from a bridge under construction over the Ewaso Nyiro River.
The arrests followed information provided by members of the public.
In another case, the DCI reported in February 2026 that two men convicted of vandalising Kenya Power transformers and stealing energy equipment had each been sentenced to 11 years in prison. The agency said the convictions followed investigations into a series of transformer vandalism incidents in parts of the North Rift and Western regions.
The Isinya operation therefore adds to a growing list of investigations involving suspected theft or vandalism of public and critical infrastructure.
For the suspects in the latest case, however, no arrests had been announced at the time of the DCI's statement.
Detectives from Isinya remain in charge of the investigation and are expected to follow leads arising from the recovered items, with the aim of locating the suspects and determining whether other people were involved.
The DCI has urged members of the public with information about the suspects or additional stolen property to report anonymously through its toll-free number, 0800 722 203, or WhatsApp number 0709 570 000.
The agency said information from the public can help investigators recover additional property and establish the full extent of the alleged criminal enterprise.