Villagers in Pingtan Town in Huiyang have sent a strong message to thieves: don’t mess with Sparky.

According to one of the villagers, A Qiang, three men arrived at Xingang Village in Pingtan Town around 6 a.m. on October 26 and attempted to steal a dog. The owner of the dog resisted before the men pulled a knife on her and made off with the dog, according to local media.

A number of villagers heard the woman’s screams, and some got in a car to chase the thieves. The two cars collided about two kilometres away, which is when the villagers discovered the men had already stolen two other dogs.

The thieves weren’t ready to give up yet though, and ran back toward the village brandishing knives before they saw a car on the side of the road. They held a knife to the driver and sped off in the car. After another collision, they attempted to make off in a van before they were finally blocked by villagers.

Approximately 300 villagers surrounded them, brandishing branches, hoes, and other weapons. A phenomenal brawl ensued. As well as the thieves, villagers were injured and police arrived but could not do a lot to stop the chaos. One of the thieves was killed, one received minor injuries and the other escaped, waving a knife at anyone who dared come close before fleeing on a stolen bike.

He was later caught by police.

Pingtan Town police chief Chen Jianyong told reporters the suspects came from Dongguan and they frequently took dogs to sell them to private businesses.

Apparently the village has been suffering from similar attacks for ten years, one villager told media. Regardless, those involved in the assault will be investigated for vigilantism. They appear to be getting some support online, however.