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A teenage serial killer who is thought to be responsible for killing 11 people could have killed more as police continue to probe his alleged murdering rampage.

The unnamed boy who is just 16-years-old is being held in connection with the shooting of a taxi driver in the city of Teresina, Brazil but is thought to be responsible for multiple murders along with his 18-year-old accomplice.

The teenager had a handgun and nine cartridges on him when he was held by armed officers in Teresina, the capital of the north-east state of Piaui, along with his suspected robber accomplice.

His alleged victims include taxi driver Jose Wilson Teixeira, 60, shot as he tried to escape after being held up at gunpoint on February 3, and a 44-year-old man killed on February 27 after being held up by two men on a motorbike as a customer paid him.

(Image: Brazil Military Police)

The unnamed youngster is also suspected of shooting dead a 27-year-old street seller in January thought to have been targeted after stumbling into a makeshift meeting of local criminals by mistake.

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Police captain Paulo Silas said: “We’ve been after him for some time and went to a house where we arrested him in a neighbourhood in the north of the city after receiving intelligence he was there.

“He’s cruel. He killed just for the sake of it.”



Pictures released by the police today show the pint-sized 16-year-old in swimshorts with a tracksuit top over his bare chest, surrounded by heavily-armed officers.



The older boy arrested with him, known as Mateusinho, looked equally dishevelled in a dirty T-shirt and grubby shorts.



Officers said they suspected the younger of the two suspects, said to have committed the murders in an area of Teresina known as Promorar, had been constantly moving around to try to avoid detection.

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A sergeant involved in the capture said: “In the Promorar area alone we believe he’s killed 11 people.



“He also shot at a police officer during a robbery.”



Taxi driver Mr Teixeira, who was married with four children, was shot dead after trying to resist an armed robber who wanted to steal his car.



He was killed after refusing to hand over the keys to his white Fiat Siena and attempting to run away from the gunman.”



Police said at the time: “The offender made it clear he wanted to rob his victim’s car and when he saw he wasn’t going to be able to take it, shot at him to kill him.