Editor's Review

The gang attempted to rob two university students who were said to be on a mission to buy avocados.

Police in Thika town have shot dead a member of a gang that has been terrorizing residents in the area.

According to a statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Thursday, the gangster was gunned down by detectives on Wednesday night.

The DCI stated that he was part of the gang robbing pedestrians along Kiang’ombe-Railway road.

On Wednesday night, the gang attempted to rob two university students from the Mt Kenya University who were said to be on a mission to buy avocados.

“They were ordered to surrender all their earthly possessions including mobile phones, belts, shoes and clothes. After complying, the badly shaken students were then ordered to surrender their Mpesa PIN numbers at gun point, prompting one of them to let out loud piercing shrieks of despair,” the DCI said.

{Police Landcruiser. Image: Courtesy}

Two police officers on patrol heard the distress call and rushed to the scene. A heavy exchange of fire later ensued between the police and the thugs.

One body was then discovered lying in a pool of blood as the other gang members, who were heavily wounded, escaped by a motorbike.

Police recovered one gun, two rounds of ammunition and a machete. A manhunt has been launched to bring the rest of the gang members into police custody.