Police have recently crashed three major serial murder cases and arrested four suspects whose merciless crimes had caused widespread panic, a source with the Ministry of Public Security said Sunday.

In late October, local police in Shenzhen, Guangdong, captured Ma Yong and his female accomplice Duan Zhiqun who had, since May this year, allegedly murdered 12 young women who were looking for jobs at a local employment center. All the victims had their belongings stolen.

Yang Xinhai was arrested on Nov. 3 by local police in Cangzhou, Hebei Province, for allegedly slaughtering 67 people and wounding 12 others in a series of murders, robberies and rapes since October 2000.

Before 2000, Yang had been committed to transformation-through-labor institutions twice and imprisoned once on charges of burglary and rape.

On Nov. 12, the police seized Huang Yong, from Pingyu County, Henan Province, who allegedly murdered 17 high school students over the past two years. After he watched many Kung fu and violence films, Huang thought himself a "professional killer," the police said.

Since September 2001, the man's crimes continued unabated until 11 days ago, when a high school student escaped from Huang's home and reported to local police.

The Ministry of Public Security has called a special meeting, ordering police around the country to learn a lesson from the three cases and try harder to deal with severe crimes involving murder, robbery, kidnapping, poisoning and bombing.

(Xinhua News Agency November 23, 2003)