Police hunt murder suspect after Handsworth man kidnapped and tortured
Detectives investigating the kidnap and murder of Tomasz Samel have released a picture of a man they want to speak to as the one-year anniversary of the attack approaches.
Tomasz Samel, from Handsworth, died three months after being kidnapped, tortured and left with 75 per cent burns.
The 45-year-old, originally from Poland, was taken from his home in Raleigh Close, just off Holyhead Road, in a white van by men pretending to be Interpol officers at around 8.45am on March 27 last year.
The men escorted him to a white Peugeot Boxer displaying the registration OY55 MVT before driving away.
Mr Samel was not seen again until he banged on the door of a house 80 miles away in Bickerstaffe, Lancashire, 14 hours later having suffered 75 per cent burns.
He was taken to hospital but died of his injuries in a specialist burns unit in Liverpool on June 21.
Police have now released an image of Kevin Wooden who is wanted in connection with Mr Samel’s kidnap and murder and are appealing for anyone with information to get in touch.
Two men, aged 29 and 28, were arrested last year on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to kidnap and a woman, 31, was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. All three have been released while enquiries continue.
DCI Scott Griffiths, who is leading the investigation for West Midlands Police said: "This was a horrific attack, and although these arrests were a significant development in our investigation, a year on we are still working tirelessly to understand exactly what happened on that day and why.
"As we approach the anniversary of Mr Samel’s kidnap, we have released an image of Kevin Wooden who we urgently want to speak to.
"We have reason to believe Wooden is currently out of the country and we are urgently appealing for anyone who has any information to contact us.
"We’d also appeal to members of the Polish community in the UK to come forward and help us with any information they may have.
"It may be that people are reluctant to give information, but they can give us information in complete confidence."
Anyone with information has been asked to contact police via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight, call 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
