A new appeal has been launched over three years after the murder of Russian businessman Nikolai Glushkov in New Malden.

An extensive police investigation into Glushkov's death has failed to yield even a single arrest and his murder remains unsolved.

On Friday, April 9, the Met Police put out a new statement urging the public to get in touch with any information they might have that could lead to progress in the case.

The Russian national and father of two was found strangled to death in his home in New Malden on March 12, 2018.

The Met Police said the presence of a black Volkswagen Clarence Avenue close to the time of Glushkov's death could be key to their finding out more key information. 

Surrey Comet: CCTV image released by Met PoliceCCTV image released by Met Police

"A black Volkswagen van was seen in and around Clarence Avenue on the evening of Sunday 11 March 2018, the day before Mr Glushkov was found dead.

"Neither the vehicle nor the driver have been traced despite public appeals, and it remains an important line of enquiry for the investigation team," the statement read.

Glushkov was 68 when he died and was a retired financial director who had lived at the address in New Malden for two years.

Commander Richard Smith, head of the MPS Counter Terrorism Command, added: "This has been a hugely complex, challenging investigation from the outset.

"Officers have taken hundreds of statements and collected a large amount of evidential material, but so far no arrests have been made.

"Three years have passed and we are again asking the public, particularly people who live in or visit the New Malden area, to cast their minds back to 12 March 2018.

"Did you see a black Volkswagen van in or around Clarence Avenue that day? Did you see anything that in retrospect was unusual or suspicious? Anything you can recall might be crucial to our investigation."

Overall, police said they had contacted more than 1,800 witnesses as part of their investigation into the murder, and taken over 420 statements.

However, detectives have made no arrests during this investigation, nor has anyone been interviewed under caution.

Anyone with information is asked to call 0800 789 321 quoting Operation Bulblet.

Alternatively, call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.