Young family ‘torn apart’ after father is stabbed and left to die on the street

A young family has been ‘torn apart’ after a father in his 40s was stabbed to death and left to die on the street.

Vitali Skrypniak, a 45-year-old Ukrainian lorry driver, was fatally stabbed outside Belvedere Railway Station, Bexley, last Saturday.

The father-of-one, from Lviv Oblast in Ukraine, had arrived in the on UK Sunday, August 15, via Dover to transport goods for a logistics company.

Police were called just after 10pm on September 18 to reports of a man injured outside Belvedere Railway Station.

There they found Mr Skrypniak, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination held on Tuesday at Princess Royal University Hospital gave his cause of death as a single stab wound to the chest.

A statement on behalf of Mr Skrypniak’s family said: “This is a great tragedy for our family. My daughter has lost her husband and their son a father.

“We want those responsible to be punished with the maximum penalty. Please, help the police and provide them with information to help catch the person who has done this.”

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers, leading the investigation into Mr Skrypniak’s murder, said: “Vitali was a married man with a toddler back at home in Lviv Oblast.

“His death has torn their lives apart, leaving his wife distraught and a young boy without a father.

“Our thoughts are with them, and we are keeping them as informed as we can as our investigation progresses.

“Vitali worked hard as a lorry driver but was off shift at the time of the incident.

“We believe he had parked his vehicle up overnight in Hailey Road, five minutes away from Belvedere Station.

“He had bought some drinks and had spent some time speaking to fellow drivers before he was attacked.

“Vitali was left to die in the street. The motive at this time remains unclear; we’re keeping an open mind and pursuing a number of lines of enquiry.

“Anyone who was in the vicinity around this time, who might have seen Vitali and the people he was speaking to, is urged to contact us.

“Did you see an altercation? Perhaps you caught an altercation on your dashcam but didn’t realise the significance of it.

“Please help us bring justice to a grieving wife and child. No piece of information is too small.”

Anybody who can assist detectives with their investigation is urged to call the investigation room on 0208 345 3715, call 101 or tweet @MetCC quoting 7975/18SEPT.

To remain 100% anonymous, call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers_uk.org.