Police have gunned down seven suspected gangsters in Kitusuru, Nairobi.

The suspects were shot dead by officers from the Special Crimes Prevention Unit on Friday morning, according to Flying Squad head Musa Yego.

He said the officers recovered four guns the suspects were going to use to rob a private residence.

The weapons included a Berreta pistol and three homemade guns.

The seven, police say, targeted the posh house because they thought it had money and gold.

The suspects had accessed the targeted compound before they were floored.

Police said the same gang had been linked to similar robberies reported in parts of the larger Karen area, which has been rocked by robberies targeting cash, gold and other valuables.

Detectives pitched camp in the compound for hours as they investigated the botched robbery.

The suspects' bullet-riddled car was towed away.

Nairobi has seen an increased crime wave in recent weeks, the most brazen one being at Karen where a gang of seven attacked and tried to rob the owner of a house and his guests.

One of the attackers was shot dead during the incident.