A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a shopkeeper during a robbery at a north London newsagents.
A passerby discovered Ravi Kartharkamar, 54, collapsed and with stab wounds inside the shop in Marsh Road, Pinner, at around 6am on Sunday, the Metropolitan police said.
Despite the efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead 46 minutes later. A post-mortem confirmed he died from a single stab wound to the chest.
Officers launched a murder investigation and on Wednesday arrested a 44-year-old man in Harrow, who is being held in custody at a police station.
Local residents described Kartharkamar as a “pillar of the community” who had lived in Pinner for many years after moving from Sri Lanka, the Evening Standard reported.
Detectives are appealing for help to trace a black Vauxhall Astra which the attacker is said to have sped away in down nearby Cecil Road after stealing the shop till containing “a few pounds’ worth of coins”.
Detective Chief Inspector Simon Stancombe, leading the investigation, said: “This was a vicious and unwarranted attack on a completely innocent man. Ravi’s attacker got away with a few pounds worth of coins, but he leaves behind a family utterly devastated and a close-knit community asking who could do such a thing.
“The attacker fled with a shop till – have you found this discarded or seen someone in possession of a shop till who wouldn’t normally have one? Do you know someone trying to use lots of loose change since Sunday morning?”
Officers remain in the area, police said.
Anyone with information should contact the incident room on 0208 358 0200, call 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.