By Abdimalik Hajir - Reporter
Kenya, July 6, 2026 - Police in Eldoret have shot dead four alleged armed gangsters and recovered a loaded Falcon pistol following an exchange of fire along the Eldoret–Kiplombe–Soy Road.
In a statement, the police claimed the incident occurred after detectives from the Operation Action Team (OAT) laid an ambush following a tip-off from members of the public.
The police claimed the suspects, who had been masquerading as police officers while terrorising innocent motorists and other road users, walked straight into the detectives’ trap.
“Cornered but unwilling to surrender, the gangsters opened fire. The detectives responded swiftly, triggering a fierce exchange of gunfire that left four thugs dead,” police said in the statement shared through social media.
However, detectives said two of their accomplices managed to slip through the dragnet on motorcycles towards Eldoret Town.
A search of the scene, they said, uncovered a Falcon pistol loaded with six rounds of ammunition, a homemade pistol, one spent cartridge, a hammer, crude housebreaking tools, balaclava masks, gloves and ropes—an arsenal pointing to a gang well-equipped for violent criminal missions.
They said preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects are part of an organised criminal gang that has, since late last year, been impersonating police and military officers while carrying out violent robberies across the Rift Valley region.
They said the gang, allegedly armed with an AK-47 rifle and a pistol, exploited the uniforms to lower the guard of unsuspecting victims before striking with precision.
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They also said they are investigating and analysing forensic and other evidence to establish the gang's involvement in a robbery-with-violence incident reported at Gathioro Police Station, during which a PCEA reverend was murdered, as well as other crimes across the region.
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) detectives processed the scene, and the bodies of the four thugs were moved to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary pending post-mortem and identification.
The police said the recovered Falcon pistol has since been forwarded to the National Police Service Forensic Laboratory (NPSFL), where ballistic experts will determine whether it was used in other crimes—a crucial step that could unlock more investigations.
Meanwhile, detectives have intensified the hunt for the gang’s fleeing accomplices as the dragnet tightens around those still on the run.
The DCI commended members of the public whose timely information proved instrumental in the operation and urged Kenyans to continue reporting suspicious persons and criminal activities. Public vigilance remains one of the strongest weapons in the fight against crime.