EIGHT CARS STOLEN AS VEHICLE THIEVES STORM BUNYORO SUB REGION

By Innocent Atuganyira

MASINDI:

Eight Toyota Premio cars have been stolen in the last two weeks in a wave of vehicle theft that has hit Bunyoro sub region.
The region police spokesperson Allan Hakiza, says the cases have been reported in Hoima where three cars have been stolen, Masindi and Kikuube districts have lost two cars each and Kakumiro where one has been stolen.
One of the vehicles stolen from Masindi belongs to the town clerk Kyatiri Town council Ibrahim Nasur that was stolen on Christmas Eve from Brian’s hotel in Masindi town where he had parked it.
The other belongs to Morith Ngabitho, one of the directors of ENCOT Microfinance that was stolen from his home a week earlier.
Hakiza explained that on 20th December 2022 four assailants attacked the home of one Emmanuel Businge in Kotoole village, Buhimba sub county, Kikuube district and stole his Premio registration number UAP 322G. 
Hakiza added the case was reported to police that mounted an operation in which one Moses Tugume was arrested and also recovered a piece of paper with vehicle registration numbers written on it.
He added that the same gang also stole another car from Kyarusesa village in the same district.
He added that the police are interrogating Tugume to help it break into the racket that is causing havoc in the region as they hunt for his accomplices.
He revealed that the police have not recovered any of the stolen vehicles although they are still hunting for them and the thieves and also to establish why Premios are the ones being targeted by the thieves.
 The police officer advised the car owners, especially Premio owners, to devise means of securing their vehicles from the thieves by installing sensors or tracking devices in them.
Asked why the thieves are targeting Premios, Hakiza said that the matter is still under investigation but revealed that investigations show that Premios’ spare parts are cheap and readily available and it could be one of the reasons.