A tense early morning police operation in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, ended with one female suspect in custody and a manhunt underway for her accomplices after a vehicle chase and exchange of gunfire within Muthaiga Estate.

The operation, conducted at around 4:30 am, was triggered by a series of reported burglary incidents in the area.

Officers had positioned themselves at strategic points within the estate when they spotted a vehicle parked suspiciously in nearby vegetation.

When the driver noticed the police presence, he attempted to flee, ignoring orders to stop.

The police officers chased the vehicle, but the situation quickly escalated when occupants of the vehicle resisted arrest and fired a shot in the direction of the pursuing officers.

Acting in accordance with operational protocols, officers returned fire. The vehicle subsequently veered off the road into a bushy area, and the occupants fled on foot into nearby residential compounds.

One female suspect was apprehended while trying to escape after entering a neighbouring compound, where a security guard assisted police in detaining her.

She has since been handed over to the police and is currently assisting with investigations.

The remaining suspects are still at large, and the National Police Service has launched a manhunt, with follow-up operations ongoing in the surrounding areas as officers pursue all available leads to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.