Rwanda will continue to make sure that no one uses it either as a destination or transit route for stolen vehicles and other items, the Commissioner for Interpol at Rwanda National Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police Peter Karake, has said.

He made the statement, yesterday, while reacting to news that another stolen vehicle, a RAV4, was intercepted on June 11 at Ruhwa border post with Burundi in Rusizi District as it entered into Rwanda.

The vehicle was intercepted with the help of Interpol’s I-24/7 communication system, which connects all the 190 Interpol member countries to track stolen items and fugitives, among others.

According to the I-24/7 log, the vehicle, that was at the time found bearing a Congolese number plate was reportedly stolen in Kenya in 2014.

"Recent reports have placed Rwanda on top of African countries that have intercepted many stolen vehicles; This is attributed to the effective use of high-tech I-24/7 Interpol communication rolled out at all our border posts and connects the customs ,” said ACP Karake.

Last year alone, RNP, through Interpol database, made 26,000 stolen motor vehicles (SMV) searches and made 11 hits. The hit implies the number of vehicles intercepted.

Since the beginning of this year, RNP has intercepted seven stolen vehicles that were crossing into Rwanda.

"The intercepted stolen vehicles come from different parts of the world. Among the vehicles we have intercepted and yet to be handed over, include three from South Africa, one from Belgium, one from Poland, three from Japan, one from Italy, one from France, one from Kenya and a motorcycle from UK,” ACP Karake said.

Stolen motor-vehicles are one of the transnational crimes which, according to ACP Karake, Rwanda National Police is committed to fight.

"The world today is increasingly facing changing trends in security systems. Emerging threats have affected some states and criminals are operating with no border limits. To deal with such a situation, we all embarked on international cooperation, mainly through Interpol, as means combat transnational crimes,” he said.

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