ST ANN, Jamaica – The two men who were chopped to death by a mob in Watt Town, St Ann on Monday have been identified.

They are 28-year-old Demar Rose, a construction worker of Hague, Falmouth and 46-year-old O’Neil Robinson, a taxi operator of Martha Brae – both in Trelawny.

According to sleuths, about 9:30 am, Rose and Robinson were travelling in a grey Voxy minibus along with men in a black Axio motor car. They allegedly went into the district of Gibraltar, stole and killed one cow and eight goats, and then placed the carcasses in the Voxy minibus.

Police report that citizens saw what happened and raised an alarm.

Further reports reveal that the residents blocked the main thoroughfare in a bid to accost the men, but were allegedly attacked with handguns by the men in the Axio motorcar, who then managed to escape.

According to cops, the Voxy bus in which Rose and Robinson were travelling developed mechanical problems.

It id alleged that the accused thieves exited the vehicle with machetes and were beaten and chopped by the residents.

READ: Alleged cow thieves killed by mob in St Ann

The police were summoned and Rose and Robinson were taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead.

The St Ann police condemned the mob attack of the two accused cattle thieves by residents.

“I must remind the residents of St Ann that mob killing is still murder and we condemn these kinds of incidents. We have been working assiduously with the farmers in these rural communities and on a weekly basis, we are in touch with them ensuring and giving them vital security tips to secure their possessions so this matter will be vigorously investigated and those persons that are responsible — when they are identified — will be brought to answer to the offence of murder,” Senior Superintendent of Police Dwight Powell Powell told OBSERVER ONLINE Monday night.

READ: Cops condemn mob killing of accused cow thieves in St Ann