Residents of Finetown near Ennerdale assaulted a man after he robbed a 30-year-old woman, Gauteng police said on Sunday.

Constable Edwin Ntsheo said a woman was approached by three men on her way to work on Sunday.

The men robbed her of her cell phone, R140 and ran away.

"The victim returned to her house and told her husband what had happened. The victim, her husband and three other community members searched the area looking for the suspects," said Ntsheo.

Ntsheo said they found the three men smoking in the streets. Two ran away and one was caught.

"The suspect was beaten up by community members with spades, stones and their hands," he said.

Police called to the scene took the man to Sebokeng hospital where he was being kept under police guard.