Kiambu police shoot suspected thug, three accomplices escape

A policeman shows a spanner recovered from a vehicle after they engaged thugs in a shootout in Kiambu PHOTO: GEORGE NJUNGE

KIAMBU: Residents of Kerwa area in Kiambu County were Tuesday woken up by the sound of gunshots when police officers thwarted attempts by a group of gangsters to raid a wholesale shop.

One of the gangsters was shot in the 6:30am incident and three of his colleagues suspected to be armed with AK-47 rifles escaped on foot.

Area OCPD Birgen Kiptoo said they received information from members of the public that a group of men in a car were surveying the area and when officers on duty went to check, the gang started shooting at them.

They tried escaping but their driver lost control of the vehicle after the officers deflated the tyres using bullets it hit a tree, forcing the other three to escape on foot. He was arrested and a homemade gun recovered inside the car. His three accomplices jumped out of the vehicle and escaped on foot.

A homemade gun and several spent cartridges of 7.62 mm used by an AK 47 riffle were recovered.

It is believed the robbers targeted one of the big wholesales to open in order for them to stage a robbery before their mission was thwarted.

On searching the Toyota Fielder vehicles the suspects were using, two ropes and a pipe range spanner were also recovered. The injured gangster was taken to Tigoni sub county hospital where and was later referred to Kiambu hospital.