Police have arrested five suspects accused of stealing mobile phones from members of the public during Saturday’s ODM rally at Jacaranda Grounds in Nairobi.

The suspects were arrested Saturday evening following an operation by officers from Starehe Sub-County who moved in after the group allegedly took advantage of the political gathering to rob unsuspecting attendees.

A search conducted on the suspects led to the recovery of eight mobile phones suspected to have been stolen from people attending the rally.

The five suspects were taken into police custody pending arraignment, while the recovered phones were secured as exhibits.

In a statement, the National Police Service (NPS) warned against using political rallies as opportunities to commit crimes, saying such gatherings must not provide a platform for criminal gangs to target, harass or steal from members of the public.

“We remain fully committed to maintaining law and order during all lawful public gatherings,” NPS reaffirmed.

The service urged members of the public to promptly report suspicious individuals or activities to the nearest police post or station.