Leader's ambush halts brutal gang, say police

Police say they have captured the ringleader of a violent gang behind a botched bank robbery earlier this month in Changde, Hunan province.

Zhang Jun, 34, was arrested on Tuesday evening in Chongqing, Sichuan province, when he met a woman, police said yesterday. Xinhua reported that Zhang was the mastermind behind a series of brutal crimes, including one at the beginning of this month in Changde, where he and his gang killed at least eight people.

Police said yesterday that Zhang is also responsible for other murders in Chongqing.

On Wednesday last week, police were alerted that Zhang might have returned to Chongqing when they found that a woman named Yang Mingyan - an old acquaintance of his - was preparing to leaving town.

They immediately arrested Yang, who confirmed that Zhang was in Chongqing. The police then learned that Zhang, a former PLA soldier, was due to meet another woman on Tuesday night in a park in the city, where they ambushed and arrested him.

A search of Zhang's hideout found a cache of firearms including hand grenades.