Police investigating a murder in Clapham last year say large sums of cash and drugs were left untouched after several attempted break-ins to the victim’s flat.
The body of Piotr Woroneicki, 32, from Poland, was found by a member of the public at 5.00am on 23 November in Parma Crescent. The case was originally treated by Wandsworth CID as an unexplained death.
Following a special post-mortem in July 2018, police are now looking into possible links with gangs or organised crime, and investigating five separate attempts, by people seeming to differ in appearance, to enter Piotr’s apartment on Clapham Common Northside in the days surrounding his death.
The day after his body was discovered, on the first of three attempts to break in, access was gained to Piotr’s flat, but a large sum of money and drugs was subsequently found by police searching the flat.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell, leading the investigation, said: “What makes it even more peculiar is that we know that when officers entered the flat after the actual break in, nearly £100,000 in cash was in the living room along with a significant amount of Class A drugs. Why would someone break into a property and leave that big an amount of cash untouched?”
Piotr was last seen alive at New Covent Garden at 11.32pm the previous night and police believe he may have been dead for some hours before being discovered. The cause of death was given as compression to the neck, consistent with him being held in a headlock for a prolonged period of time.
DCI Cranwell said: ”The night Piotr died there was torrential rain that some could describe as ‘biblical proportion’. I’m hoping that by mentioning this, it might jog somebody’s memory.
“Although I have said that we believe this murder is linked to organised crime, I want to assure anyone with any information that whatever you tell us will be treated with the utmost confidence. You will be helping to take a murderer off the streets and giving Piotr’s family and friends some closure in what has been a very tough period.”
Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to £10,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Piotr Woroneicki’s murder. Call anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/
Feature image shows Piotr Woroneicki.
