Police in Kilifi county have intensified investigations and launched a joint operation after four armed robbers raided a café at Watamu Mall and robbed customers of cash and valuables before escaping.
Investigators reviewed CCTV footage from the scene and established that the robbery occurred at exactly 4:37 pm on June 24, 2026.
The footage reportedly showed four unidentified male suspects arriving at the shopping complex aboard a motorcycle before proceeding directly to the Café, where eight customers were having meals.
The gang is said to have robbed the patrons of cash, mobile phones and other valuables before fleeing.
Investigators noted that each of the four suspects appeared to be carrying what looked like toy air guns.
However, CCTV footage also captured two loud discharges during the incident, raising questions about the nature of the weapons used.
One discharge was reportedly heard while the robbers were inside the café, while a second was heard as they exited through the parking area after completing the robbery.
Despite the sounds resembling gunshots, police officers who processed the scene did not recover any spent cartridges or bullet fragments.
Investigators also found no bullet impact marks on the café’s walls or ceiling.
A subsequent search of the cabro-paved parking area where the second discharge was heard similarly yielded no cartridges.
The gunmen bypassed major establishments within the mall, including an I&M Bank branch, a Safaricom shop and a supermarket.
Instead, they stormed a small restaurant, ignored the cashier and focused their attention on customers seated at a specific table.
Sources indicate that the targeted table had been vacated about 20 minutes earlier, by an Irish-American national currently embroiled in a Sh79 million fraud case. This is part of the motive under probe.
Local residents and investigators believe the precision of the operation points to a targeted attack rather than a random robbery.
Following the robbery, officers tracked the stolen mobile phones and pursued the suspects up to the Mtwapa area in Kilifi South Sub-County.
However, the signal was eventually lost, allowing the suspects to evade arrest.
Police said a joint operation involving officers from Watamu and Kilifi South has been mounted to trace the gang. Detectives are also analysing CCTV footage and other leads to identify the suspects.
No arrests had been made by the time of filing the report, and investigations remain ongoing. Authorities have appealed for information that may assist in identifying and apprehending the robbers.
DCI boss Amin Mohamed assured the public that the suspects would be apprehended and brought to justice.
Security has since been heightened across the holiday resort town following the unprecedented daytime attack.
