A man believed to be in his early twenties escaped lynching when he was caught red-handed stealing iron rods at Nsawam in the Eastern Region.
Reports indicate that the suspect, together with an accomplice, raided an uncompleted building at about 12:30 am to steal materials.
However, residents who were suspicious of their activities alerted the homeowner who in turn placed surveillance on them.
They were nabbed while attempting to transport the stolen items in a tricycle locally known as aboboyaa.
The suspects were given a hot chase by a taxi driver, forcing them to abandon the items and the tricycle and take to their heels.
An alarm was sounded and the suspects were nabbed by irate residents who gave them a sound beating.
The accomplice managed to flee the scene, leaving the other suspect to his fate. He was pelted with items and left in a bloody state.
The suspect, however, denied any wrongdoing, defending that he was only hired by his accomplice to retrieve the items he did not know were stolen.
Meanwhile, the Nsawam police patrol has been notified of the development and the suspect has been taken into custody.