The man stabbed four other women to release anger in Yantai, China

He attacked first victim after mistaking her for his former partner

Chinese police have arrested a man on suspicion of stabbing five random woman as he tried to find his ex-girlfriend who allegedly took money from him .

The suspect, only identified by his surname Li, knifed all victims in the buttocks in remote residential areas in Laizhou of Shandong province, eastern China, reported People's Daily Online.

He said he was seeking revenge against his ex-girlfriend and he mistook the victims for his former partner.

Injuries: Five women were stabbed by an angry man who hoped to avenge his ex-girlfriend in Yantai, China

The attacker, identified as Li (second to left), was arrested at about 6am on October 18 at his home

The suspect Li apparently carried out the attacks in the space of a few weeks.

His unusual behaviour reportedly caused a panic among female residents in Yantai who feared of going out alone in the evening.

Rumour went that there was a hooded assailant on the loose who targeted at young and single women to stab in the bottoms.

Gao Changxin, captain of the local police, told Qilu Channel: '[The suspect] chose women who looked very similar to his ex-girlfriends, followed them into their places of residence and stabbed them.'

The police managed to track down Li after looking into the surveillance camera footage.

Investigators discovered the suspect always carried out the attacks between 6pm to 10pm while wearing a black hoodie and riding an unlicensed motorbike with a red helmet.

Residents from the neighbourhood also identified the person in the video as Li.

With enough evidence, the police detained Li in his home on October 18 for questioning.

The suspect admitted to his crime during police interrogation.

He told the police that his attack was meant as an act of revenge towards his ex-girlfriend.

Li accused his former partner of taking his bank cards and identification card when they were together.

The suspect added that he simply wanted to get these items back from his girlfriend, but he did not have her address. So he wandered around the neighbourhood in hope of finding her.

After searching around for a while, Li targeted one woman, his first victim, who he thought was his ex-girlfriend and jabbed a knife into her bottom.

Li (pictured) accused his former partner of taking his bank cards and ID card during police investigation

He admitted to the police: 'I was not sure if she was my ex at first, but then I looked more closely and found out she was not.'

He said he could not control his anger after the first attack and assaulted four other women in the following weeks.

Li is currently under police custody.