Police fail to arrest suspected robbers at Equity Bank in Kisumu after hours of standoff

The operation was called off on Tuesday afternoon, with Nyanza Regional cordinator Magu Mutindika saying those rounded off including bank staff were being questioned. 

Police officers are still puzzled about teargas cannisters recovered during the operation, which they claim were not consistent with any that are used by cops. 

Witnesses say the thugs stormed the bank at 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday, hurling tear gas at customers seeking services in the banking hall.

The robbers also lobbed teargas at the police during the incident, according to Nyanza regional police boss Karanja Muiruri, who led the Tuesday afternoon operation.

"It is not the police who lobbed teargas , it was the robbers who lobbed teargas at us and we have the sample,"

"We dont know where it comes from, but it is from somewhere," 

According to multiple reports, over 30 police officers responded to the robbery with several being seen on video scaling the first-floor building that houses the bank as the operation progressed.

The operation was delicate, according to the police, especially because gunshots could still be heard ringing inside the banking hall an hour after the incident was first reported.