Business came into stand still on Friday evening after a widow was beaten for stealing at Nyamusi market.
Witnesses said the suspect identified as Caroline Nyabuto pretended she was a customer only to end up stealing a pant, two dresses and a blouse.
"Caroline pretended she was buying clothes at a cloth stall. When it started raining as the seller was busy was packing clothes into a sack, she took advantage and stole the clothes but, luckily I spotted her putting them into her handbag," said an eye witness Olpha Osebe.
Mrs Osebe said she raised alarm when the suspect started running away after realizing she was noticed.
Area administrator Fred Obae said the angry traders chased after the suspect, caught her and recovered the stolen clothes.
"The clothes were found in her handbag and after a thorough beating she admitted that she stole the clothes on grounds that the evil led her to steal," said Obae.
Mr Obae warned members of the public against going to the market to steal saying theft is illegal and punishable by law.