Man wanted for Suffolk murder caught in Poland

17 February 2012

A 28-year-old man Suffolk Police wanted to question in connection with the murder of Peter Avis in Bury St Edmunds on 13 January has been detained in Poland.

Polish Police arrested Pytor Melaniuk last night, Thursday 16 February in connection with an unrelated matter.

Suffolk Police are now liaising with the Polish Authorities and the Crown Prosecution Service with a view to begin the extradition process.

 

9 February 2012

Suffolk Police together with the independent charity Crimestoppers are offering a reward of up to £5000 for information leading to the arrest and charge of a man.

Pytor Melaniuk is wanted for questioning in connection with the murder of 66-year-old Peter Avis in Bury St Edmunds on Friday 13 January 2012.

Detective Superintendent Julian Gregory, Head of the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team, said: "It is very important that we trace Mr Melaniuk and extensive enquiries have been carried out to try to find him. I hope that the reward of up to £5000 will be an incentive for anyone who knows where he may be to make contact with us so that we can locate this man."

Ann Scott, Eastern Regional Manager for Crimestoppers Trust said: “If you have information on the whereabouts of Pytor Melaniuk and are unable to tell police directly, you can alternatively give information 100% anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers via 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org."

Police are reminding members of the public that if they see Pytor Melaniuk or someone they suspect to be him, to not approach him, but call police immediately on 999.

 

1 February 2012

Suffolk Police are renewing their appeal in help to trace a 28-year-old man who is wanted for questioning in connection with the murder of 66-year-old Peter Avis at his home address in Bury St Edmunds on Friday 13 January.

Enquiries into the incident are continuing and detectives are now keen to question 28-year-old Pyotr Melaniuk in connection with the incident.

Pyoytr Melaniuk, who is Polish is known to reside and have associates in the Tottenham, Hackney and Stoke Newington areas of North London and over the next few days officers will be continuing with their enquiries in that area and putting up posters in shops, on notice boards and within local communities.

The posters have been produced in English and Polish in order for both communities to be hep with this investigation.

Pyotr Melaniuk is also thought to go by the names Irek Marciewicz, Pyotr Kelaniuil, Kamil Wislak and Ireneusz Melaniuk.

He is described as white, 5'6" tall, slim to medium build, with short hair. A distinguishing feature is that the two middle fingers of his right hand above the knuckles are missing together with the thumb from the same hand. He also has tattoos on his hands and a spider tattoo on his right arm.

Melaniuk is also known to have connections in Brighton and whilst it is thought that he could be in either of these areas it is possible that he could be elsewhere in the country.

Extensive enquiries have been undertaken together with the assistance of others forces to locate and apprehend Melaniuk, but detectives are now renewing their appeal in help from the public in a bid to locate him.

 

25 January 2012 (5:45)

A 20-year-old man has been charged with murder following the death of 66-year-old Peter Avis at Bury St Edmunds.

Kamil Kita, who is unemployed and of no fixed abode, was arrested by police on Monday, 23 January, and taken into custody at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre where he was interviewed by detectives.

This afternoon, Wednesday 25 January, he has been charged with Mr Avis's murder and he will be detained in custody overnight pending an appearance at Ipswich Magistrates Court tomorrow morning, Thursday 26 January.

An 18-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender has now been bailed to return to police on Wednesday 21 March.

 

25 January 2012 (morning)

Police investigating the murder of 66-year-old Peter Avis at Bury St Edmunds have made two more arrests.

Mr Avis was found at his home above the Collis and Son shop on Friday 13 January. A post mortem examination revealed he died from stab wounds.

Since then police have made a number of arrests and have so far charged two men with conspiracy to commit burglary.

Enquiries continue and a 20-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman were arrested in London on Monday 23 January.

The 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, the 18-year-old woman on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Both are currently in custody at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre where they are being interviewed by officers.

Their time in custody was extended by a superintendent last night and at this stage police have until later this morning to question them.

 

20 January 2012

Detectives are renewing their appeal for information one week on from the discovery of man found murdered in his home in Bury St Edmunds.

Police were called to an address in High Baxter Street, Bury St Edmunds at around 9.10am on Friday 13 January after a call from a member of the public.</

Peter Avis, aged 66 years was found deceased in his home, a post mortem examination revealed that he died as a result of stab wounds.

Police would like to hear from anyone who was in the area of High Baxter Street and Abbeygate Street overnight between Thursday 12 January and the morning of Friday 13 January.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Luckett from the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team who is leading the investigation said: “We are continuing with our investigation and are renewing are appeal to anyone who may have been in the Abbeygate Street or High Baxter Street area on Thursday night into Friday morning, to come forward.

“We want to reassure local people that everything possible is being done to find those involved in this crime and to bring them to justice.”

 

18 January 2012

Police have this evening, Wednesday 18 January, charged a second man in relation to the investigation into the murder of Peter Avis at Bury St Edmunds.

Pawel Borowiecki, a 30-year-old man from Roslyn Road in London, has been charged with conspiracy to commit burglary. He is due to appear in Bury St Edmunds Magistrates Court tomorrow, Thursday 19 January.

A 30-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder has been released on police bail and is due to return to the Ipswich Police Investigation Centre on Tuesday 27 March.

 

17 January 2012

Police have this evening, Tuesday 17 January been granted further time to question a 30-year-old man arrested in connection with the murder of Peter Avis at Bury St Edmunds.

Magistrates have granted officers until Thursday 19 January, to continue to hold the man, who was the first arrested on suspicion of murder on Sunday 15 January.

A 34-year-old man has been charged with conspiracy to commit burglary in relation to the investigation. Pawel Pacian, an unemployed man from Lake Avenue in Bury St Edmunds, is due to appear in Bury Magistrates Court tomorrow, Wednesday 18 January.

An 18-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to commit burglary, and a 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman, arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary - have been released on police bail. They are due to return to the Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre on Tuesday 20 March.

A 34-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder has been released on police bail and is due to return to the Ipswich Police Investigation Centre on Tuesday 27 March.

 

17 January 2012

Police have been granted further time to question a 34-year-old man arrested in connection with the murder of Peter Avis at Bury St Edmunds.

Magistrates have granted officers until tomorrow, Wednesday 18 January, to continue to hold the man, who was the first arrested on suspicion of murder on Friday 13 January.

The second man arrested - a 30-year-old detained in London on Sunday 15 - remains in custody.

Three others arrested yesterday at Bury St Edmunds - an 18-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to commit burglary, and a 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman, arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary - continue to be interviewed by officers at Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre.

 

16 January 2012

Police investigating the murder of 66-year-old Peter Avis at Bury St Edmunds have arrested two more men and a woman in connection with the inquiry.

Mr Avis's body was found on Friday morning, 13 January, at his home above the Collis and Son shop in Abbeygate Street. A post mortem examination revealed he had died from stab wounds.

Earlier this afternoon, Monday 16 January, police made three further arrests - an 18-year-old man from Bury St Edmunds, arrested on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to commit burglary, and a 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman, also from the town, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary. All three are in custody at Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre.

Police have executed at warrant at an address in Lark Avenue in Bury this afternoon and the area remains cordoned off as officers examine this home.

The three new arrests brings the total of those detained in connection with the incident to five.

A 34-year-old man was arrested in London on Friday night, 13 January. He was brought back to Suffolk and remains in custody at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre where he is being interviewed on suspicion of murder. Magistrates yesterday granted police a further 36 hours to question him, which gives officers until tomorrow morning, Tuesday 17 January, to talk to him. At this stage detectives can then apply for a further period to hold him should this be required.

A 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder in north London yesterday, Sunday 15 January. He was brought back to Suffolk and is currently also in custody at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre where he too is being interviewed.

 

15 January 2012 (6.10pm)

Police investigating the death of 66-year-old Peter Avis in Bury St Edmunds have arrested a second man on suspicion of murder and been granted further time to question a 34-year-old man already in custody.

The second man – a 30-year-old – was arrested in north London this afternoon, Sunday 15 January. He will now be brought back to Suffolk to be interviewed by officers.

Meanwhile police have successfully applied for a warrant of further detention as they continue to question a 34-year-old man arrested in connection with the murder.

Magistrates have granted detectives a further 36 hours to interview the 34-year-old man – giving officers until Tuesday morning, 17 January, to talk to him about the incident.

Mr Avis was formally identified earlier today by relatives.

 

15 January 2012

A 66-year-old man who died at an address in Bury St Edmunds has been named as Peter Avis of Abbeygate Street.

Formal identification of his body was carried out this morning, Sunday 15 January.

A cousin of Mr Avis said, on behalf of his family;

“Peter Avis was rather eccentric but a gentle old fashioned and private man. His life was centred around his shop and flat, due to this he was perhaps extremely vulnerable. We are all devastated by this sad news.”

A 34-year-old man arrested on suspicion of Mr Avis’s murder remains in custody at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre where he continues to be interviewed by detectives.

Police are continuing their enquiries into the incident and are still asking for anyone who may have been in the area overnight Thursday 12 into Friday 13 January, anyone with information about those involved or anyone with knowledge of where items stolen in the incident are now, to come forward.

 

14 January 2012 (evening)

A 34-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of a man in Bury St Edmunds, remains in custody at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre.

Today a post mortem examination, carried out at the West Suffolk Hospital, revealed that he died as a result of stab wounds.

Police are continuing their inquiries into the incident and have been conducting searches, talking to those in the area and carrying out a full forensic examination of the scene.

Detectives are interviewing the 34-year-old, from Bury St Edmunds, who was arrested in the Haringay area of London by Metropolitan police yesterday, while Safer Neighbourhood Team officers continue reassurance patrols in the area.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Luckett, who is leading the investigation, said; “He was a vulnerable man and the motive appears to have been a burglary that then involved an assault on him and the use of a weapon.

“Someone must know who did this and must be aware of where the jewellery and other items stolen during the incident are now.

“Our investigation is ongoing and we’d continue to ask anyone who may have been in the Abbeygate Street or High Baxter Street area on Thursday night into Friday morning, or anyone with information about those involved or where the items are now, to come forward.

“We want to reassure local people that everything possible is being done to find those involved in this crime and to bring them to justice.”

 

14 January 2012

A 34-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of a man in Bury St Edmunds.

The 66-year-old man was found in a flat above the jewellery store Collis & Sons at High Baxter Street after police were called around 9.10am yesterday, Friday 13 January.

The 34-year-old was arrested in the Haringay area of London by Metropolitan police late yesterday. He has been brought back to Suffolk and is now in custody at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre where he will be interviewed by officers.

 

13 January 2012 (3.05pm)

Police are continuing to make enquires into the death of a man in Bury St Edmunds, who was found in a room in a flat above the jewellery store ‘Collis & Sons’.

The body remains in situ. A cordon remains in place on the location and enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident are on going with crime scene investigators also at the scene.

DCI Neil Luckett who is leading the investigation said: “We are still in the early stages of the investigation and our enquiries continue to establish what exactly has taken place. Officers from the local Safer Neighbourhood Team will be working with officers from the Major Investigation Team to carry out house to house enquiries and community reassurance patrols throughout today.

“The scene will remain sealed while we continue to carry out a forensic investigation of the premises where he was found as well as the jewellery store and searches of the surrounding area. I would ask that anyone who has any information about the incident to contact police.

“Following initial assessment of the scene it is likely that the premises were subject of a burglary and that is a line of enquiry which we are examining closely.

“I’d appeal for any witnesses who may have been in the area of Abbeygate Street or High Baxter Street last night or the early hours of this morning who may have seen anything suspicious to come forward and tell us.”

The coroner been informed and a post mortem will be carried out to establish the exact cause of death. The body of the male will not be formally identified until next of kin have been informed.

 

13 January 2012

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a sudden death at a property in Bury St Edmunds.

Officers were called at about 9.10am this morning to a property at Lower Baxter Street in the town after a call from a member of the public. Police are currently treating the death as suspicious.

A seal is in place on the location and enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident are on going.