An army deserter fleeing North Korea killed four Chinese citizens and injured another one during a robbery in the Chinese border city of Helong.

MOSCOW, January 5 (Sputnik) — A North Korean army deserter has been arrested for allegedly killing four Chinese citizens during a robbery in at the Chinese border city of Helong, Yonhap News Agency reported Monday citing an unnamed source.

A North Korean deserter committed a murder for the sake of robbery. The gun-wielding North Korean man killed four Chinese citizens and injured another one at their homes. The incident took place on December 28, but the Chinese authorities have decided not to announce it, the source familiar with an incident told the agency.

"The Chinese authorities have ended a consultation with the North Korean side in dealing with the case and decided not to make the case public," the source said.

The suspect was shot by the Chinese authorities and is currently at the hospital, according to the Korea Herald newspaper.

South Korean newspaper Dong-A Ilbo said North Korean had reshuffled its border troops following the incident, Reuters said.

Apparently, it is not uncommon for North Korean soldiers and civilians to cross the Chinese border and attempt robberies in nearby Chinese towns. In December 2013, a North Korean defector killed an elderly Chinese couple in the border city of Yanji and stole 20,000 yuan ($3,210). The man fled to Beijing, where he was caught by the Chinese authorities, Yonhap reported.