Police Continue Search For Ding Murder Suspect
8 June 2011, 06:00
The team of officers investigating the murders of the Ding family in Wootton, Northampton, are keeping the heat on in the locations Anxiang Du, the prime suspect in this case, may be hiding.
On Monday (June 6th), officers went to London to make enquiries in the area of China Town. Ten detectives from Northamptonshire Police spent the day meeting community leaders and handing out leaflets to local people and local businesses.
The officers were assisted by officers from the Metropolitan Police and the Metropolitan Police Chinese Unit. Yesterday marked the start of a festival period in the Chinese calendar and officers wanted to take advantage of the increased number of visitors to China Town and the surrounding areas.
Detective Superintendent Glyn Timmins has been telling Heart: “My officers spent the day in London speaking to Chinese people going about their business, and in shops and restaurants in the China Town area. Officers have made some useful contacts in the community and I was pleased to hear the levels of support we got from local people. I am really hopeful that by forging these links we might generate some information which could be vital to our enquiry.”
Other member of the investigation team continue to follow up sightings of Anxiang Du, none of which have yet proved to be the missing suspect. Hours of CCTV are still being reviewed as this could contain valuable direction as to Mr Du’s movements following his arrival in London in the early hours of Saturday 31st April.
Anxiang Du is the prime suspect in the murders of Alice (age 12), Xing (18) and their parents Helen and Geoff Ding, who were found stabbed to death in their homes on the weekend of the Royal Wedding.
Anxiang Du is an ex-business partner of the parents and is known to have travelled to Northampton and then Wootton on the afternoon of Friday 29th April. It is believed he then took the hire car from the family home and travelled to London where CCTV shows him leaving the car in Venables street, London at 2.27am on Saturday 20th April. At that time he was still wearing a brown coat and white cap and carrying a yellow rucksack.
With the last confirmed sighting in London, officers are focusing efforts there as they try to trace Mr Du. However, anyone who recollects seeing Mr Du in the Northampton area that afternoon are still being asked to contact the incident team on 0800 096 1011.
Members of the public are advised to call 999 if they see Mr Du, and not to approach him.
The independent charity Crimestoppers are offering a reward of up to £10,000 for anyone providing information to Crimestoppers leading to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons linked to the murders of the DING family.
Information can be passed to Crimestoppers in a number of ways:
- 0800 555 111
- www.crimestoppers-uk.org
- Information can be provided anonymously
- Only information given to Crimestoppers will be eligible
Links to Crimestoppers web-site are also available on the front page of our website www.northants.police.uk