Chaos erupted in Mombasa along the Likoni-Ukunda road when a gang of four raided a shop.
The gunmen are reported to have been in possession of pistols and two AK-47 rifles.
The robbery, which called for police intervention, was to result in a risky gun battle between police and the gang members.
Likoni deputy police chief Elina Wanjala said that officers from the nearby Inuka Police Station responded swiftly after the alarm was raised and a shootout with the gunmen ensued.
Confirming that no civilian or police was injured, the police boss added that the gang managed to escape on an unregistered motorcycle.
One of the shop attendants said that the gunmen still managed to take of with their money.
“We had planned that one of us would go and deposit money from sales for the past two days. Suddenly, we were ordered to lie down and leave everything,” he said. The employee added that they were forced to watch helplessly as they emptied the tills.
They are reported to have stolen Sh500,000.
The robbery saw top sub-county security officials convene a crisis meeting to discuss the matter. Traders have asked the officers to beef up security as such incidents were on the rise. The security agents said they had set up a team to hunt down the gunmen who escaped towards Kwale.