Police have detained a man in Kunshan in East China's Jiangsu province, who said he was planning to rob passers-by, in the same way as Zhou Kehua - the gunman who killed 11 people and injured another five others in a series of robberies committed across China, over the past eight years.

The man, surnamed Zhang, was spotted outside a bank branch in the town on August 17; he appeared confused, and told a policeman who questioned him that he wanted to commit suicide, and that his wife was pregnant.

When he was searched, police found an imitation gun, a knife and a pair of gloves in his satchel.

He later confessed that he was trying to rob passersby, inspired by Zhou, who was shot to death by two policemen in Chongqing on Aug 14.

Local police have detained the man and the case is under investigation.