Three community members have been arrested in eMalahleni after an alleged mob justice murder that happened yesterday.

Witbank Police spokesperson, Captain Eddie Hall says the murder happened after an eyewitness saw two men breaking into a house in Montgomery Avenue, Extension 5 and loading items into a grey Hyundai Tucson.

The eyewitness alerted the caretaker of the property who arrived at the scene within minutes.

He was just in time to stop the men in the Hyundai from leaving the scene by blocking their vehicle. Both men attempted to flee on foot, but the caretaker allegedly caught up with one of them.

It is alleged that the caretaker together with other community members, searched the Hyundai and found a flat-screen television, a Proline notebook and clothing inside.

The found property was suspected to be stolen from one of the tenants’ rooms in the house.

The suspected thief was then allegedly taken to the back of the house where he was severely assaulted by members of the community.

He died on the scene.

Station commander of Witbank South African Police Service, Brigadier Moses Bolton, warned that the public should not take the law into their own hands when they execute civilian arrests.

Instead, he advised the public should hand over the suspect/s to the police immediately after the arrest and allow the law to take its course.

The three suspects, aged 37, 35, and 30, will appear in Witbank Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.