Shenzhen police arrested a 37-year-old man yesterday morning after he killed three people on the street and injured another three, including his wife, in this southern city bordering Hong Kong.

Witnesses said the man indiscriminately chopped at passers-by with a dagger after slashing his wife at around 1 am.

Police discovered the man was surnamed Zhong and rented an apartment on Zhongxing Road, Luohu district, with his wife and child.

They made a living by running a mobile phone retail store.

Zhong and his wife bought a house early this year, but he found his name was not listed on the property ownership certificate.

He increasingly suspected his wife intended to become sole owner of the property and frequently quarreled with her, the investigation found.

He also believed his wife and her relatives were scheming to take the mobile phone store for themselves, which led to the fight on Monday morning, when Zhong stabbed his wife.

She then fled downstairs and ran into the street.

Zhong pursued her, waving his knife at passers-by, killing three of them.

Three others, including his wife, were hospitalized for injuries and are in stable condition, the information office of Shenzhen government said on its website.

Family members told police Zhong had long suffered from psychological disorders.

The case remains under investigation.