A suspected carjacker was on the evening of Wednesday, December 20, 2023, shot dead as three others were arrested after stealing Sh1.5 million outside Equity Bank in Nairobi West.
Police are planning to arraign the three in court on Thursday, December 21, 2023, and will be seeking orders to continue holding the suspects for the next three weeks as investigations go on.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), the four had trailed a private car from the Industrial Area up to Nairobi West, where they managed to break into the car and steal the money that was stashed in three envelopes.
“Police are investigating the matter and we want to find out whether the arrested have been involved in other robberies so that action is taken against them,” Mr Adamson Bungei, the Nairobi County police boss, said.
He said that police officers were alerted to the activities the suspects were engaging in, which led to their arrest.
When officers arrived at the scene, they ordered them to lie down and upon searching, the money was recovered.
They were armed with crude weapons, which they used to break into the motor vehicle.
Inside a Mercedes Benz they were in, police managed to recover more number plates. According to the police, the recovery of the registration number was a clear indication that it was being used for criminal activities.
As the officers were still searching the motor vehicle, a charged mob wanted to lynch the suspects, but police managed to disperse it.
Equity Bank, in a statement, said that the operation was conducted by officers who had been tasked to guard the bank.
“Dear Member, Kindly note that there was an incident today at around 4:25PM outside our Nairobi West Branch where three suspected carjackers were arrested and one shot dead by police officers guarding the branch,” the statement led in part.
It further stated that none of its customers or staff was injured during the incident, which led to the bank’s closure.
However, Nairobi News has established that normal operations have resumed.
