Four robbers who were engaged in a shoot out with police officers for more than four hours on Tuesday, November 23, have escaped the scene.
According to the area police boss, the four disguised themselves as clients when all the bank's staff and clients were evacuated.
Speaking to the press, Nyanza Regional Commissioner Magu Mutindika noted that the robbers must have changed clothes before leaving undetected.
“We have in our possession a man’s shirt. We suspect that the robbers had a change of clothes and left the banking hall during evacuation of distressed clients,” he stated.
Mutindika had earlier complained that the operation to stop the heist was derailed after the thugs lobbed teargas on the officers responding to quell the crime.
A witness told the press that the commotion began at around 11 a.m. when the suspects arrived at the bank and threw a teargas inside.
"At 11 a.m., there are people who came to this bank. Some got in and others remained outside. During the time, there was a teargas that was thrown in and caused a frenzy from the customers inside.
"I got the report and called the Regional Police Commander who came here with other officers to see what was happening. After some time, one of those suspects wrote a not to a lady demanding Ksh100,000 without which they would finish her," narrated the witness.
Staff and customers who were evacuated from the building in Angawa, Kisumu County were taken to Central Police Station where they are expected to record statements.
"That lady panicked and made others run away. As we are talking, most of the people are at the police station. We plan to go and do a thorough search," he argued.
Earlier, Nyanza police commander Karanja Muiruri disclosed that their operation to stop a heist was delayed after robbers inside the bank lobbed teargas on the cops.
Muiruri noted that an initial observation showed that the teargas canisters did not belong to the police and a probe was ongoing to establish the source of the same. The mission was further complicated after the robbers captured hostages who are also holed in the bank.
Below is the video of the police speaking:
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