Detectives in Nairobi are intensifying investigations into a well-coordinated criminal syndicate targeting motorists immediately after they make large bank withdrawals, with the latest incident occurring on Saturday.

The victim, Patel Kashyap Kantibha, had just withdrawn Sh999,000 from I&M Bank along 1st Parklands Avenue when he was ambushed and robbed. Patel, who was driving a Toyota Cienda, was headed towards Avenue Hospital when a Toyota Axio blocked his path.

CCTV footage obtained from a nearby building captured the moment two men exited the Axio one of them dressed in what appeared to be a traffic police uniform.

The suspect in uniform approached the driver’s side and forcibly opened the door, while his armed accomplice, dressed in a black jacket and blue trousers, targeted the co-driver’s side where the cash, concealed in a khaki envelope, had been stored under the seat.

The 41-second clip shows the attackers swiftly executing the robbery before their getaway car whose number plate could not be clearly identified makes a U-turn and speeds off toward Limuru Road.

Patel reported that the vehicle had five occupants and that one of the assailants struck him on the shoulder with a weapon believed to be a pistol.

Police say efforts are underway to track down the gang.

Nairobi Regional Criminal Investigations Officer Benson Kasyoki confirmed that the group is believed to be behind at least three similar incidents, the first reported last year.

"We’ve profiled the group and identified their leader, who often disguises himself as a traffic officer to deceive unsuspecting victims," Kasyoki said.

In a separate incident on Sunday, police rescued a driver who had been hijacked by three armed men in the Kamirithu area of Limuru along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway.

Stephen Kariuki Mutai, who was transporting energy drinks to Nakuru, was ambushed at around 5am after the suspects rolled a boulder onto the road, forcing him to stop.

The gang took control of Mutai’s Nissan Hiace, but a swift response by law enforcement led to a dramatic chase.

Police deflated the van’s rear tyres, forcing the assailants to abandon the vehicle in Ngarariga and escape on foot. Mutai was found unharmed inside the van.

Police believe both incidents are part of a growing trend of highway and financial ambush crimes and have launched a manhunt for the suspects.