LONDON (AP) — British police have made an arrest in the case of a person in a clown costume who deliberately frightened people on London streets.

Police said Tuesday they had arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of a public order offense stemming from an incident that started Saturday night in west London and ended early Sunday.

Scotland Yard says there have been a small number of suspicious clown incidents reported in London — apparently inspired by clown-related cases in the United States.

Police Commander Julian Bennett said Tuesday that three of the London incidents amounted to criminal offenses.

He says police expect such incidents to increase in the weeks before Halloween and that additional "reassurance patrols" will be added.

Police in other parts of Britain have reported similar cases.