ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica – The St Elizabeth police have launched a probe after two men, who residents believed to be car thieves, were chopped and beaten in New Market in the parish.

Pictures and videos of the incident, which occurred over the weekend, have gone viral on social media.

In the videos, the residents accused the men of being car thieves, chopped, tied and beat them, and then set their car on fire. The men were rescued by police.

The men were seen with chop wounds in the video. One had his hand broken and a rope tied around his neck. The other man’s foot appeared to be broken as he could not stand.

They were placed in the back of a police service vehicle and taken to hospital.

But police investigations have discovered that the men, who lived in a nearby district, were, in fact, not car thieves. The police said the men were driving through the community when they got a flat tire and sought help. The police said the car the men were driving was not stolen.

As a result, the police have launched a probe into the injuring of the two men with the aim of arresting the attackers.

The condition of the injured men have not yet been ascertained.