Two suspected thugs were Saturday killed in a dramatic shootout with police in Umoja estate, Nakuru.
Police said they recovered a LIAI rifle loaded with four rounds of ammunition, a panga, dagger, hammer, a pair of pliers, balaclavas and spent cartridges from the slain.
According to police, following a spate of violent robberies within Nakuru North Sub-County where in every incident a rifle was used, a team comprising officers from Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters, DCI Nakuru North and those from Lanet in a mission to track down the perpetrators recovered the LIAI rifle that was being used after the fatal shootout with an armed gang.
Acting on intelligence that an armed gang was sighted at Nakuru’s Umoja Estate, the team conducted a sting operation in the area where the four-man gang was ambushed and ordered to surrender.
But in defiance, they opened frenzied fire on the officers triggering a retaliation in self defense, police said.
Two gang members were fatally injured while two others managed to escape with suspected gunshot wounds.
Their pursuit is underway, police said.
The bodies were moved to Nakuru Annex Morgue awaiting identification.
Police say they have enhanced operations against armed crime in many parts of the cities and urban areas in the country.
Meanwhile, several suspects believed to be behind the spate in vandalism cases targeting Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) apparatus in Kondele area within Kisumu Central Sub-County were arrested and several recoveries made.
Police said a sting operation was conducted in the White Gate area, during which officers ambushed about 50 youths vandalizing KPLC properties.
Upon sighting the officers, all the suspects abandoned their loot and scampered dangerously to evade arrest, but one of them who held on to the nine binding roll wires and three aluminum cross-arm metal stands that he had stolen was arrested.
Others who escaped left behind two cars and two motorcycles.
They were all impounded awaiting their claimants at the Kondele station.
After interrogation of the arrested suspect, the operation was extended to Car Wash area of Kondele, where more suspects were rounded up.
From them, the officers recovered 14 drums of aluminum conductors and seven earth rods.
All the suspects were booked in custody pending arraignment on Monday, April 15, 2024, police said.