NAIROBI, Kenya — A suspected armed car theft suspect was shot dead following a dramatic police chase and exchange of gunfire in the Muigai Inn area of Juja, after officers intercepted a vehicle believed to have been stolen along Thika Road.
The deceased was identified by police as George Wanjohi Kimani, 55, whom investigators described as a suspected repeat offender linked to several ongoing vehicle theft investigations.
According to police, the operation began after officers spotted a suspected stolen Toyota Vitz at a Shell petrol station along Thika Road in Juja. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver allegedly sped away, triggering a high-speed pursuit.
Witnesses said officers fired at the vehicle’s tyres in an attempt to disable it. Despite the damage, the driver allegedly continued for about three kilometres on the vehicle’s rims towards the Muigai Inn area in Juja Farm.
The chase ended in a shootout between the suspect and police, during which the suspect sustained fatal gunshot injuries.
Following the incident, detectives recovered a mini-pistol and several rounds of ammunition from the vehicle. Police said the firearm is commonly associated with close-range criminal activity because of its compact and concealable design.
Juja Sub-County Police Commander Isaac Kombo said the Toyota Vitz was fitted with registration number KBU 988E, which investigators believe belongs to a different vehicle.
He said detectives are verifying the vehicle’s identity through its chassis number to establish its rightful ownership and determine whether it is linked to other reported theft cases.
Police further disclosed that the deceased had previously been identified as a person of interest in investigations being conducted by a multi-agency team targeting an organised vehicle theft syndicate operating in the region.
The body was moved to a mortuary pending post-mortem examination and formal identification procedures.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the shooting, the recovered firearm, and the suspected vehicle theft network are ongoing.