Detectives have launched a “fast moving” double murder probe after two eastern European men were found dead in Hertfordshire and north London.
A 31 – year-old manwas discovered with stab wounds inside the boot of a caron Thursday night on the Barnet Bypass, near Scratchwood Park.
The body of a 44 – year-old man was then found in undergrowth in Hogg Lane, Elstree the following afternoon.
The Metropolitan Police have linked the two victims and said on Saturday that they “cannot rule out whether there might be a potential organized criminal element.”
They were later called to the Barnet Bypass by London Ambulance Service and medics attempted treatment, but he was pronounced dead a short time later.
A 35 -year-old man found at the scene was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder and has been taken into custody upon discharge from hospital. He currently remains in police custody.
The discovery in Elstree has been linked to the murder in Barnet. Police have provided no further details about the victim.
The two areas are little more than five miles away from each other.
Officers have launched a fast-moving investigation to establish how long the Elstree body had been there and whether the incident took place before or after the discovery in Barnet.
Post-mortems for both victims are in the process of being scheduled and will take place in due course.
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.
“At these very early stages, we believe both the deceased men are Eastern European males,” he said.
“While we retain an open mind as to a motive, we cannot rule out whether there might be a potential organized criminal element.
“We also believe that the two victims might have been known to each other.”
It comes asseven people have been killed this week in London with the grim toll homicide probes hits.
The latest victim, believed to have been 29, died in the early hours of Saturday after being knifed in Newham.
Police were called to the scene in Hanameel Street shortly after 2am, but the man could not be saved and was pronounced dead at 2. 101 am.
The incident came after three men died within hours of each other in three separate attacks on Thursday.
A Met statement on Twitter said: “Met detectives are in attendance at a crime scene in Hogg Lane, Elstree, after Hertfordshire police were called to the discovery of a man’s body on Friday, (December around 3.) pm. The victim had suffered stab injuries.
“The death is being treated as linked to the murder of a man found with stab injuries in Scratchwood Park, Barnet on December. More information will be provided in due course. ”
Anyone who has information about the Elstree or Barnet incident is asked to call 0 4318366 4318366, or (************************************, quoting 01575879 / (Dec or call Crimestroppers anonymously on) 8358 **************************************
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