Two men captured on CCTV stealing phones from patients at Machakos Level 5 Hospital arrested

The arrests followed an incident where one suspect was caught on camera stealing from a patient in the hospital’s radiology department. This suspect then led the police to a second individual, who was found in possession of a phone believed to be stolen.

On Wednesday morning, a 28-year-old man named Mutavi was escorted out of the Machakos referral hospital, with handcuffs indicating the end of his alleged involvement in the phone-stealing ring.

CCTV footage showed Mutavi entering the facility at 8 a.m. and leaving about an hour later. An alarm raised by a woman seeking services at the hospital led to a review of the footage, revealing Mutavi as the culprit.

Magdalene Mweni, a resident of Machakos, described the incident: "I was at the X-ray department and found that my phone was stolen. Upon checking, I saw another man stealing from me as I was at the X-ray, and another woman was also seen being robbed by the same man about three hours later."

Simon Mwako, Chief Officer of Health in Machakos, added: "Here, all payments by our patients are made using phones, and since many people use phones, we have noticed that thieves are targeting patients in our facility."

The second suspect, Francis Mumo, was found with a phone believed to be stolen property after Mutavi led the police to him. Machakos County DCI Chief Nzioka Singi urged residents to remain vigilant and report any thefts promptly.

"I want to alert residents, especially women, to be cautious when visiting hospitals or even country buses. If someone is near you and appears suspicious or causes any disturbances, protect your belongings and report any incidents immediately," said Machakos DCI Chief Nzioka Singi.

The two suspects are scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.