The vehicle belonging to the suspects which they abandoned after police chase
The vehicle belonging to the suspects which they abandoned after police chase
Police in Mubende District have launched a manhunt for a group of suspected thieves who broke into a businessman’s vehicle and stole shillings 100 million shortly after the money had been withdrawn from a bank.
The robbery happened on May 21, 2026, at around 5:00 PM in Kalonga Trading Centre, Kalonga Sub-county.
According to Wamala Regional Police spokesperson Lameck Kigozi, the suspects were travelling in a white Toyota Premio, registration number UAP 811H. The gang allegedly targeted a parked Toyota Rumion, registration number UBR 308A, and stole a laptop bag containing the cash belonging to Robert Muyanja, a prominent businessman in Kalonga trading center
Police reports say Muyanja had sent his brother-in-law, Denis Ssebuliba, to withdraw the UGX 100 million from Centenary Bank’s Mubende branch earlier that day.
After picking the money, Ssebuliba reportedly placed it in a laptop bag and drove back to Kalonga Trading Centre, unaware he was being followed by the suspects.
Upon arriving at the trading centre, Ssebuliba parked the vehicle outside his sister’s shop. However, moments later, he returned only to discover that the vehicle had been broken into and the money stolen.
Kigozi revealed that police officers immediately responded and used the victim’s vehicle to pursue the suspects towards Kitenga village.
“As the pursuit intensified, the suspects abandoned their vehicle and fled on foot, as one suspect escaped with the laptop bag, while the other carried a white sack containing three different number plates that could have been interchanged to evade detection,” Kigozi said.
During the escape, the suspects reportedly dropped a bag containing shillings 50 million, along with the sack carrying the number plates, before disappearing into an unknown location.
Police recovered the abandoned Toyota Premio, shillings 50 million in cash, and the three suspected fake number plates. Statements from witnesses and victims have since been recorded as investigations continue.
Authorities say efforts to trace and arrest the suspects are ongoing.
Police have also warned members of the public to remain vigilant after withdrawing large sums of money from banks, noting that criminals often pose as ordinary customers in banking halls to identify and trail potential targets.
A similar incident occurred in 2022 when thieves broke into the vehicle of the director of Emmaus Center, a Catholic Church training facility for disciples and evangelists located in Butanza Training Centre, Katikamu Sub-county, Luwero District, and stole shs 22 million. The priest had withdrawn the cash from Centenary Bank’s Wobulenzi branch before parking at a hardware shop to purchase construction materials. Police later used CCTV footage to track and arrest the suspects in Bweyogerere, Wakiso District.
-URN
