Two armed thugs, who are reported to have been behind a spate of robberies in Kawangware area of Nairobi county were shot dead by police officers on Wednesday night.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), a third suspect managed to flee from the scene when the officers on foot patrol responded to the robberies at Stage 56.

DCI says the police officers responded after the suspected thugs are reported to have attacked a man at gunpoint and robbed him of his belongings.

The officers say the suspects opened fire at them when they challenged them to surrender resulting in a fierce shootout that ended with the shooting dead of the two.

The third male suspect is reported to have escaped using a motorbike with concealed number plates.

A gun with one round of 9mm calibre was recovered from the scene after the gunfire and handed over to DCI ballistic experts for examination.

The bodies of the dead suspects were moved to City mortuary to await identification.