A brazen daylight armed robbery at a salon in Ruaka has sparked concern after CCTV footage of the incident surfaced online.
The two-minute video, seen by TNX Africa, captures the tense moments when a lone gunman stormed the business on Friday, July 10, terrifying workers and customers before fleeing with a stolen mobile phone.
According to the CCTV footage, the incident began at about 2 pm along a busy street. A man dressed in green overalls, a black hat and a face mask walked to the salon, pulled out a pistol and confronted two women seated outside, ordering them to hand over their phones.
When the women screamed for help, the gunman fired a warning shot into the air, sending nearby pedestrians running for safety.
Look at what thee armed thugs did in Ruaka, what is happening in this country?
Why is the DCI not in action? pic.twitter.com/J4TOyA8wX2— Evan wa Memba (@EvanoMemba) July 12, 2026
Amid the chaos, one woman managed to escape, while the attacker forced the other into the salon at gunpoint.
Inside, CCTV cameras showed four other people scrambling for cover after hearing the commotion outside. The gunman grabbed one of the women and demanded her phone.
"Leta hiyo simu!" he shouted.
Meanwhile, another woman outside the salon screamed, "Mwizi!"
The commotion quickly attracted a crowd of concerned members of the public.
Realising he risked being cornered, the robber abandoned the operation.
He fired several more shots into the air to disperse the crowd before running out of the salon. Outside, he jumped onto a waiting motorcycle and sped off.
One of the women attempted to chase the motorcycle, but the suspects escaped.
The incident comes just days after another armed robbery at a restaurant in Westlands.
CCTV footage seen by TNX Africa showed diners caught off guard as two masked men stormed into the restaurant, brandishing what appeared to be firearms.
One suspect wore a white hooded jacket, a brown marvin, black trousers, and white sneakers, while the other wore a purple puffer jacket, black trousers, and a cap.
The pair ordered customers to surrender their valuables at gunpoint. Some patrons escaped through another exit, while others remained inside. Several customers were seen hiding their phones under tables as the robbers collected valuables.
After the robbery, the suspects walked out of the restaurant. A security guard attempted to confront one of them, but was unsuccessful. A shot appeared to be fired as frightened customers ducked under tables for cover.
The suspects escaped on two waiting motorcycles, after which customers and staff emerged from their hiding places.