BOGOTA, May 11 (UPI) -- Colombian civilians attempted to attack a suspected child molester for the fourth time in a week in the west-central city of Ibaque, officials said
A 55-year-old man, whose identity has not been released by authorities, was at the point of being attacked after residents accused him of sexually violating a 10-year-old girl, El Tiempo reported Tuesday.
Hundreds of protesters surrounded the alleged molester's house in the Jose Roberto Calderon neighborhood and began throwing stones at the property.
The police were called to control the situation.
"We took him out of the place in order to prevent the people from attacking him," said authorities.
Three other cases of attempted lynching of suspected rapists have occurred in Bogota and Soacha municipalities over the last week.
An incident in Bogota left five people injured when a riot between police and area residents broke out after police tried to protect a suspected rapist.
