Detectives based in Kiambu County are hunting down suspected armed criminals who carjacked a man in Ruaka, Kiambu county on Friday then disappeared with his vehicle.

According to police, the armed gang members ambushed the man at the gate to Ruaka’s One River Apartments in his Toyota Premio car after working overnight.

They smashed his car window with an iron rod as he waited for the gates to be opened and fired two shots into the air from a pistol to force him into submission.

His attempts to flee by driving into the parking lot did not deter the thugs as they caught up and beat him up before grabbing his phone and driving off with his car towards Ndenderu.

On being alerted of the incident, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations based in Kiambaa launched a manhunt for the suspects and the stolen vehicle.

The stolen vehicle was found abandoned at Kagongo village hours later, but with its rear and front headlights, side mirrors, tyres, nose guard, boot and radio all missing.

DCI says the three suspects who are still at large have been linked to a larger criminal syndicate that operates in Kiambu county targeting taxi drivers while posing as passengers.

They call taxis then turn against the drivers once they reach isolated places, before assaulting them and later vandalising their vehicles and possibly selling off the parts.

The directorate added that some members of the criminal syndicate had previously been arrested and arraigned and cautioned Kenyans to be wary of the growing car theft trend.