The locals in Mpigi district have called upon the security agencies to cooperate with them and arrest the thugs stealing number plates from their motor vehicles in the district.

These remarks were made in a village meeting held on Monday, September 16, 2024, after thugs went to Mawokota county in Mpigi district on September 15, 2024, and plucked off more than 10 number plates from various motor vehicles in several parking lots, hid them, and started calling the car owners for money in exchange for their number plates.

According to the locals, the parking lots that the thugs targeted include the main mosque in Mpigi, Hajji Mawejje’s petrol station, Ku Katimba, BRAC offices, and Katwe Mawonve.

’’This trend of stealing number plates had stopped a long time ago in Mpigi; however, it is so weird that it is back now as kids are reporting back to school for the third term,’’ the locals noted.

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During an interview with journalists on September 16, 2024, Musa Bukenya, one of the town councilors of Mpigi district, revealed that the theft of number plates had stopped. However, it is back at a time when kids are heading back to school, which shows that these people are after making money.

Bukenya added that the thugs are still calling the victims for money in exchange for their number plates; however, none of them have been arrested, and that the phone number that they used to blackmail the victims has not been trucked despite reporting them to police.

He also said that most people park in the said places because they do not have space where they stay, yet these parking lots have ample parking space.

’’Recently various communication companies registered people’s phone numbers; however, it is funny that police cannot use these numbers to trace these criminals and have them arrested despite having all this information at their fingertips,” Bukenya stated.

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However, the Katonga region police spokesperson, SP Karim Majid, said that he was unaware of this recent incident and called upon the victims to go to the police and report this issue.

He added that the victims being blackmailed by these thugs should also present to police the numbers being used by these thugs to aid in their investigations.

As the investigations continue, it is crucial that the police work closely with the community to gather intelligence, identify the suspects, and bring them to justice. The safety and security of Mpigi district residents must be prioritized, and measures should be taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.