Angry residents of Treadways in Linstead, St Catherine chased, caught and subsequently hacked a man to death after he was reportedly tried to break into a shop yesterday.

The dead man has been identified as Gary Rhoden, otherwise called 'Tommy', of Deeside, also in Linstead.

According to police reports, about 4 a.m., residents caught Rhoden red-handed while he was breaking into a shop in the community and raised an alarm.

Rhoden tried to outrun the machete- and knife-wielding residents but was chased and eventually held.

He was then chopped several times before the police could intervene and rush him to the Linstead Hospital where he died while being treated.