Romford: Police Reward For Bouncer Murder

Police have offered a £20,000 for information about the murder of a bouncer who was last seen leaving his girlfriend's house in Romford 15 years ago.

Officers who have so far been unable to solve the mystery surrounding James Harmon believe key information lies within a "criminal fraternity'' that the doorman was involved in.

Although his body has never been recovered, police now believe he was murdered shortly after he was last seen on Saturday, January 24, 1998.

Detective Chief Inspector Neale Baldock, who is leading the investigation for Metropolitan Police Service's Homicide & Serious Crime Command, said: "The investigation has focused on Jimmy Harmon's lifestyle and in 1998 he was well known as a doorman at a number of east London clubs and pubs.

"There are very strong grounds for believing that he was murdered very soon after his disappearance on 24 January 1998.

"It is now 15 years since James was last seen alive. I know he was involved in criminal activity in east London and I believe the key to this investigation is likely to come from within that criminal fraternity or their associates.

In the intervening years loyalties and allegiances may have changed, and I would appeal to anyone with new information to come forward and speak to us.''

Mr Harmon worked as a mechanic and also part-time as a doorman at the Robin Hood Public House in Longbridge Road, Dagenham.

He was last seen when he left his girlfriend's home in Romford to visit a friend in Rainham at around 3am on the day he went missing.

He was due to return at 8pm but has not been seen since.

His silver Mercedes 190E saloon car was later found abandoned in Bexley Gardens off Barley Lane, near to King George's Hospital in Ilford.

The Metropolitan Police Service is offering the reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of the person or persons responsible for the disappearance and murder of Mr Harmon who was 30 when he went missing.