Police and authorities in Kisumu now believe that suspected thugs who attempted to rob Equity Bank took advantage of the confusion caused by the melee to escape.

The officers, who are yet to make any arrest following Tuesday’s foiled robbery attempt at the Equity Bank Angawa Avenue branch, also say the suspects “ used very strong teargas to unsettle police, who had surrounded the building”.

Nyanza Regional Commissioner Magu Mundika said yesterday that the suspects may have escaped during the shoot out, and not during evacuation.

Detectives in the county are now piecing together information regarding the dramatic incident that saw heavy shoot out between police and suspected robbers who had gained entry into the bank.

Recorded statement
No one was arrested but several people including the bank staffers and customers were rounded up and taken to the police station for questioning.
Yesterday, police released a group of about 18 people who were being held after they were picked up for interrogation on Tuesday.

Kisumu County Criminal Investigations Officer Francis Wanjau said they had recorded statements and will be required to report to the station whenever need arises.

Wanjau added detectives will retain the phones of those who were held for further investigations.

Police confirmed that so far, nobody has been arrested but investigations were ongoing over the incident that threw the lakeside city’s Central Business District (CBD) into a standstill.

Already Equity Bank has said that no money was lost during the incident. “All staff are safe and no cash was lost,” the lender said in a statement.