Two men lobbed home-made bombs into a bazaar in an attempt to free two accomplices caught pickpocketing by market inspectors, reports Information Times. Two people were injured in the incident.

Li, an undercover market inspector, saw two pickpockets lifting a purse out of a woman's pocket as he patrolled the Jiahe Agricultural Product Market in the Baiyun District on Sunday morning.

Along with three colleagues, he tackled the two suspects at the gate as two other men screamed: "Let them go, or we will blow you up!"

"We were too busy subduing the two thieves to react," said Li.

The pair then tossed two bombs at the inspectors, wounding one of them in the explosion. A woman vendor also sustained injuries.

The bombers fled, but their accomplices failed to escape. Angry bystanders started beating them before police arrived.

The market employs a 26-member anti-crime team to catch pickpockets, but this was the first time a bomb attack had been used in retaliation against their efforts.

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