Police kill five suspected thugs in Nairobi

NAIROBI, KENYA: Five suspected thugs were Tuesday morning shot dead by police and a pistol recovered from them in a botched robbery in Kamulu area, Nairobi.

According to police, the five had tried to steal a Toyota Shark car from a parking yard at a shopping center when officers on patrol were alerted at about 4 am.

Police say they also recovered two cars that the suspects were using at the time of the incident. Four sets of master keys were also found on the men. The bodies were taken to mortuary.

Nairobi police boss Benson Kibue said the men were planning to steal the car from the area and escape with it.

“The officers were on alert and managed to get them and recovered a revolver pistol, a toy pistol and knives from the men. We believe they are part of a gang that has been disturbing the area at large,” said Kibue.

Police said locals had been complaining of repeated attacks by gunmen in which they lost valuables and cash.

The Tuesday killings brought to almost 20, the number of suspects killed in Nairobi in a week alone. Six had been killed in the weekend in separate incidents.