A 21-year-old man was arrested today in connection with the murders of two French biochemistry students who police believe may have been killed over two handheld games consoles.

Officers investigating the horrific killings of Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, both 23, believe that two Sony PSP games consoles were stolen from the flat on the day of their deaths.

The friends were tied up, gagged and stabbed nearly 250 times before being set on fire, in a South London bedsit on Sunday night.

The Metropolitan Police said the man was arrested at 3.40am and is in custody at a police station in south-east London.

The police are exploring whether the students may have been killed by a burglar who targeted the premises six days earlier. The possibility that they could have been tortured for their PINs is another line of inquiry.

Officers are also hunting a black Packard Bell laptop taken in the previous burglary while Mr Bonomo was in the shower.

Mr Ferez, who lived in South Norwood, had travelled to spend the evening at his friend’s flat, where they were playing computer games.

The two friends were living in the capital while they worked on a three-month research project at Imperial College London.

Last night the father of Mr Ferez described his son as “incredibly gifted”.

Olivier Ferez, a nurse, said: “We are just in shock and completely devastated.

“Gabriel is, was, the most intelligent, affectionate, wonderful son anyone could ever want.

“He had such a bright future and now that has gone.”

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