Five suspects were arrested while they allegedly attempted to steal from a bank in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) in the wee hours of Friday, July 2.
A statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) indicated that the police acted on a tip-off from a member of the public.
The police officers were informed that the suspects were spending the night at Angle House on Ukwala Lane within the OTC area, a guest house that shares a wall with the bank.
"They had planned to drill their way into the bank in the dead of the night. However detectives got wind of the plan and spoilt their party!
"They stormed into the building with a thud forcing the thugs to scamper, taking cover in the ceiling like cornered rats," reads the statement in part.
Following the operation, police officers recovered three hacksaws, one knotted twisted rope, one metal driller, five metal bars, one metal cutter scissors and one suitcase.
The suspects were booked at Kamukunji police station awaiting arraignment in court.
The incident took place just months after detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) captured a suspect in connection to a robbery in which a gang of four robbers stole Ksh3.5 million from a bank along Mombasa road.
The gang told security officers that they wanted to buy a freezer from a shop at the office complex.
They stayed in the complex waiting for the bank van to arrive to pick the day's collection before they embarked on their mission.
A section of Kenyans has raised an alarm over the rise of criminal activities in the city.
The Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai has since vowed that security will be enhanced in the city centre.
