Carjacker stabs brave motorist to death in front of terrified female passenger before stealing Mercedes

  • Harjinder Singh Bhurji, 32, bled to death after being stabbed in the chest
  • Car found dumped an hour later in east London
  • Victim had paid for sister's wedding two weeks before
  • Mystery over identity of woman passenger in the car

Enlarge   Stabbed: Harjinder Singh Bhurji was killed and his car stolen

Stabbed: Harjinder Singh Bhurji was killed and his car stolen

A murder hunt has been launched after a motorist was stabbed to death in front of his terrified female passenger.

Brave Harjinder Singh Bhurji, 32, was fatally stabbed as he tried to fend off the masked knifeman who was trying to grab his car keys.

He was left bleeding to death from knife wounds in the road in front of the terrified passenger in Ilford, East London at around 1am yesterday.

The man threatened to kill the passenger, in her 20s, if Mr Bhurji didn't hand over the keys to his black Mercedes.

But when he did he stabbed him in the chest anyway.

The car was found dumped an hour later in Chingford, three miles away from where Mr Bhurji was fatally attacked in Ilford, east London.

Murder Squad detectives are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the knifeman driving in the early hours.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Rickells, who is leading the murder inquiry, said: 'The suspect appears to have been purely motivated by stealing the car because at this early stage we can find no other obvious motive.

'As far as we can tell, the victim did not know the suspect or why he might want his car.

'The Mercedes had a distinctive number plate and I would appeal to anyone who was out driving in the early hours to cast their minds back and let us know if they saw it.'

The suspect is described as black, about 6ft 2in, of slim build and was wearing a grey 'beanie' hat, grey hoodie and dark-coloured bandana. He spoke with a London accent.

DCI Rickells added: 'Police were called at 1.10am to reports of a man injured. When they arrived, they found 32-year-old Harjinder Singh Bhurji suffering from a chest wound.

Search: Police are now hunting the driver and anyone who may have seen the car being driven

Search: Police are now hunting the driver and anyone who may have seen the car being driven

'He was pronounced dead at the scene in Stoneleigh Road, Ilford, at 1.42am.  The victim's friend, who was with him at the time, was found at the scene uninjured but suffering from shock.

'It is believed that the two had been sitting talking in Mr Bhurji's car when the suspect suddenly appeared, opened the passenger door and dragged the female occupant from the car.

'The suspect then went to the driver's door and demanded the keys to the black Mercedes, CLK coupe, registration number R4 JXW.

'Mr Bhurji who lived in Ilford, tried to hide them under his seat but the suspect threatened to harm his friend if he did not hand them over.

'However, before he had time to retrieve them, he was stabbed. Despite his injuries, the victim managed to retrieve the keys and hand them to the suspect who then drove off.'

Scene of death: Stoneleigh Road in Ilford where Harjinder Singh Bhurji was killed in a suspected carjacking

Scene of death: Stoneleigh Road in Ilford where Harjinder Singh Bhurji was killed in a suspected carjacking

The car was found abandoned at 2.45am in Forest Glade, Chingford.

Mr Bhurji, a successful garage owner, was stabbed to death just two weeks after celebrating his sister Rasdinder Johal's wedding.

His grieving sibling said her brother was a 'polite, quiet and reserved' man, the main breadwinner for their family, who had footed the bill for her nuptials.

He had been due to fly to India to be the best man at his friend's wedding and had been making the final arrangements shortly before he died.

She said: 'My brother was a very calm and very quiet and very reserved type of person. He loved to travel. Every month he would go somewhere and he was just enjoying life.

'He wanted to get married but he didn't have a partner and he was looking.'

Abandoned: The Mercedes - registration R4 JXW - was found in Chingford

Abandoned: The Mercedes - registration R4 JXW - was found in Chingford

As a Mercedes specialist, he ran his own company R&J Motors, which also employed his father and brother. He had previously worked for Mercedes in Lakeside.

Rasdinder has now urged the woman who was with her brother to contact them and let them know what had led to his death.

She added: 'We don't know who she was. That's the thing we don't know - why he was with her or talking to her when he was stabbed by a six foot two inch attacker.

'The family are devastated. My mum is not coping very well. He was her only son, her eldest son, he was the breadwinner of the family.

'Everyone is just really in shock and devastated. We have just had the wedding and our whole family came from across the world for it.

'I have just come back from honeymoon two days ago. Everyone has recently been together and now this.'

She added: 'I want to know the details. Our whole family just want to know what happened to him for our peace of mind.'

Detectives are keen to hear from anyone who saw the car, possibly driving at high speed, anywhere between Stoneleigh Road and Forest Glade, a journey of about three miles.

DCI Rickells said: 'It is possible the suspect travelled down the A406 North Circular Road or through main back roads.'

  • Anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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