Crime Desk

-  Gagandip Singh body found in car in Blackheath

Homicide detectives are appealing for witnesses and information after a murder investigation was launched following the discovery of a body in a burnt out car in Blackheath.

At around 02:00hrs on Saturday, 26 February, officers on patrol came across a vehicle on fire in Angerstein Lane, SE3.

The fire brigade attended and extinguished the fire and subsequently the body of a man was found in the boot of the car.

Formal identification took place this evening (26 February) and the victim can now be confirmed as Gagandip Singh, 21, from Bexleyheath. Next of kin have been informed.

A post mortem examination will be arranged in due course.

An incident room has opened at Lewisham under Detective Chief Inspector Damian Allain from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

The car the body was found in was a blue Mercedes C-class with the number plate V362 SCL.

DCI Allain said: "We are appealing for anyone who was in or around the Angerstein Lane area, and who may have seen this car either arrive or seen anyone acting suspiciously as the car was left ablaze, to contact us.

"We already know that the car was last seen around 5:30pm in south-east London, so we are also appealing to anyone who can help us identify how the car came to be in Angerstein Lane.

"At this early stage we don't believe that this was a random killing, and are exploring the line of enquiry that this was a targeted attack against our victim."

Any witnesses or anyone with any information should call the incident room on 020 8721 4805 or they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.