A 16-year-old youth allegedly killed a vagrant in Shaanxi province after an attempted robbery, China Youth Daily reported on Wednesday.

The youth allegedly stabbed the vagrant in the heart on a square in Xianyang city, in June.

Also at the scene were four other boys ranging in age from 13 to 16.

The prime suspect, now in custody, told police that he wanted money to buy a train ticket to Beijing, where he planed to find a job.

He had worked in the capital as an assistant cook and hotel security guard two years ago.

His mother left when he was 5 and the boy lived with his father, a farmer.