Two criminals were shot dead on Wednesday, January 24 by police in Thika, Kiambu County after being caught in a robbery.

The two are said to have caused a dramatic scene before their demise as they were robbing residents of their valuables.

According to the police, the two suspects and others who managed to escape were robbing a local shop to which they had gained access by cutting the perimeter wall.

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An alarm raised by the residents drew the attention of police who chased and managed to kill two of them, whereas three managed to escape with gunshot injuries.

The shop was owned by a policeman who also joined the chase.

The incident emerged at a time when several robbery incidents were reported in the area as the gang was terrorizing residents by robbing them of their valuables.

At the same time, the police declared their willingness to end the increased crime rates in the area.

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“We are ready to deal with these criminals to address insecurity issues in this area,” Thika West Police commander Lawrence Muchangi said.

He warned the youth against venturing into crime.

In another similar incident, the police revealed that two suspects had been involved in another raid at Thika Girls Karibaribi Secondary school.

The gang allegedly killed one guard and left the other with severe injuries. The latter succumbed to injuries while receiving medical care in the hospital.

The area is experiencing an increased crime rate amid police operations.