Police on Tuesday night shot dead five suspected robbers at Allsops, along Thika Road.
One of the suspects is believed to be behind a series of robberies in Kiambu and Nairobi Counties.
Witnesses say the suspects, who were in possession of a pistol, had snatched a handbag containing money from a woman who runs a M-Pesa shop in the area.
The woman operates the shop near Drive Inn area and had walked to catch a bus to her residence when the gang on a motorbike trailed her.
“They had snatched the handbag from a woman and as they tried to flee from the scene, police officers cornered and shot them dead,” said Pius Kamau, who witnessed the incident.
Police say the wanted used to drive in a vehicle whose number plate he would keep changing to avoid arrests after committing crimes.
He was previously arrested in possession of fake number plates and a police radio call but was later released.
Head of Special Crimes Prevention Unit Pius Gitari said his team that was patrolling in the area confronted the gang and managed to recover a Browning pistol.
“We will establish whose weapon it is and if it has been used in any crime,” said Gitari.
The bodies were moved to the mortuary. This is the latest such incident to happen in the City in the war on crime. Police say they have increased patrols to address cases of violent crime.
Last month, eight men suspected to be burglars were shot dead in a botched robbery on a warehouse in Industrial Area, Nairobi.