MOSCOW, December 24 (RIA Novosti) - The bodies of five homeless people who were apparently hacked to death with a sharp instrument have been found in the town of Zvenigorod near Moscow, a police source said Wednesday.

The bodies were found late on Tuesday by firemen who had extinguished a fire in a nearby building. The victims, three men and two women, died approximately 48 hours ago.

Forensics experts established that all the victims had been hacked at with a sharp tool, probably an axe.

A criminal case has been launched and investigators are working at the scene.