Disturbing footage has emerged showing the moment an angry mob tear the clothes off two women and cut their hair after they were suspected of shoplifting.

The pair were also shoved and kicked as they lie on the ground and try to shield themselves from the blows.

The incident was filmed by onlookers in the town of Tapachula in the south-western Mexican state of Chiapas.

It was then shared on Twitter , where it has been viewed over 31,000 times.

Locals claimed it was not the first time the two women have been caught stealing in the area.

In the video, mob members are seen ripping off clothing items from the two suspects while pulling and hacking at their hair with a large pair of scissors as they lie on the ground.

At one point, the two half-naked women – one who is topless – are seen hugging each other as the mob continues to cut their hair.

At the end of the footage, they are seen walking off arm-in-arm as onlookers film with their phones.

According to local media, residents claimed that the women were stealing clothes from the city’s Sebastian Escobar Market.

Mob members said that they dished out their own form of community justice after accusing the local authorities of failing to act whenever they report such incidents.

According to local media, the two half-naked suspects were allowed to leave peacefully after first being humiliated.

It is currently unclear if the local authorities are investigating the case or if anybody has been arrested yet