Four gunmen were caught by soldiers at the Meilin Checkpoint on Tuesday when they were allegedly attempting to steal cars, local newspapers reported.

The men had pretended to be car buyers, police said. In the early hours of Tuesday, five people in two cars went to a plaza near the checkpoint to meet the four for the transfer of a car. However, the gunmen claimed to be plain-clothes policemen and tried to steal the cars.

The gunmen were forced to flee when their victims resisted. Four of the victims were injured after being beaten by the gunmen, while another drove off to seek help.

Three checkpoint soldiers on patrol heard the victims' cries for help and, although unarmed, chased the gunmen.

After about 100 meters, the soldiers caught up with one of the gunmen, knocked him down and disarmed him.

Zhang Xiaojun, one of the soldiers, took the man to the checkpoint office, while the other two soldiers, Sun Xiaomin and Li Guoai, went on to chase the other three gunmen, who had separated in a garden. Sun approached one gunman, who threw an iron bar at him, but he warded it off and struck back with a fire extinguisher and seized the man.

Another man had run into a warehouse compound where Li managed to overpower him. The man's gun was later found on the ground. The third gunman hid under a truck and was later seized by soldiers and police.

(Shenzhen Daily January 27, 2005)