Two men armed with machetes have been arrested after undercover police officers foiled an alleged robbery attempt targeting pedestrians along Karanja Street in Kibra, Nairobi.
The suspects had reportedly targeted unsuspecting members of the public returning home from their daily activities when officers from Kibra Police Station moved in and apprehended them.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), the arrests followed intelligence received by officers about the suspects’ activities in the area.
The officers subsequently launched an undercover operation, positioning themselves along Karanja Street while blending in with the public and posing as ordinary commuters.
After identifying the suspects, the officers moved in and arrested both men, bringing the alleged criminal activity to an end before further attacks could take place.
The suspects were then escorted to Kibra Police Station, where they were placed in custody pending further police action and arraignment in court.
In a statement on Friday, November 13, the NPS said the intervention was part of efforts to prevent crime through proactive police deployment and intelligence-led operations.
The operation involved officers monitoring the area discreetly before confronting the suspects, allowing them to intervene without drawing attention to their presence.
The arrests come amid continued police efforts to prevent attacks on members of the public and respond to information about suspected criminal activities within residential and commercial areas.
However, the police statement did not indicate whether anyone had been injured during the incident or whether the suspects had managed to steal any property before their arrest.
Following the arrests, the NPS commended members of the public for their cooperation in supporting crime prevention and encouraged residents to continue reporting information about suspected criminal activities.
The service urged anyone with information about criminal activity to report it to the nearest police station or through its established emergency and crime-reporting channels.
The NPS reiterated its commitment to protecting the public through proactive deployments and working with communities to prevent criminal attacks.
