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Police link deaths in Barnet and Elstree
21 December 2019, 20:19
Detectives are linking a two incidents that took place five miles apart from each other - a fatal stabbing in Barnet and the discovery of a man's body in Elstree, Hertfordshire.
The first incident took place in London, where at around 8:30pm on Thursday evening, a man in his thirties was found with stab injuries in the boot of a car near Scratchwood Park, Barnet.
Paramedics were at the scene but couldn't save him and he died from his injuries.
A 31-year-old man at the scene was arrested on suspicion of murder and is in custody.
Then less than 24 hours later, at around 3.30pm on Friday afternoon, the body of a 35-year-old man was found in undergrowth in Hogg Lane in Elstree, Hertfordshire.
The Met has confirmed it was linking the two cases and officers were at the scene in Hertfordshire to investigate.
They are trying to work out how long the body had been in Elstree, and whether the incident took place before or after the discovery in Barnet.
BREAKING: A man has been found stabbed to death on a country lane in #Elstree, Hertfordshire.
— London 999 Feed (@999London) December 21, 2019
Detectives from the Met Police are at the crime scene as the death is being linked to the murder of a man in #Barnet, north-London on Thursday 19 December.
More below. pic.twitter.com/0zAyRlxGVa
The incidents took place only apart five miles apart from each other.
Detective Chief Inspector Simon Stancombe said: “Our investigation is in its very early stages and at this time we are pursuing a number of leads to try to establish exactly what chain of events has led to two men losing their lives.
“I am asking those residents who live in the vicinity of the crime scenes in Barnet and Elstree to think very carefully about anything suspicious you may have seen over the last few days, and to make contact with us immediately."
Anyone who has information, images or video that could assist police are asked to call the incident room on 020 8358 0200, or 101, quoting 7486/19 Dec.
The death is being treated as linked to the murder of a man found with stab injuries in Scratchwood Park, #Barnet on 19 December.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) December 21, 2019
More information will be provided in due course.