Homeless killer suspect arrested in California

Deputy police chief Hunter announces the arrest (AP)

Police in southern California have arrested a man in connection with the latest in a series of murders apparently targeting homeless people, believed to be the work of a serial killer. Community workers and police are advising California's homeless population to take extra precautions to protect themselves, including avoiding sleeping alone or outdoors.

The body of the latest victim, another homeless man who had been stabbed, was discovered on Friday in the town of Anaheim in Orange County. Witnesses followed a man who ran from a restaurant car park, and he was later arrested, deputy chief Craig Hunter of Anaheim police told the Orange County Register.

The case is the fourth such killing in Orange County since December, leading police to suspect that a serial killer is actively targeting the state's homeless population. Occupancy at motels and hostels is reported to be unusually high as a result of the killings.