Fresh appeal to track van used in murder after taxi driver Bulent Kabala shot dead in north London

Police investigating the murder of a taxi driver shot dead in north London have appealed for information to trace the van involved in the attack.

A photo of a number of tools found inside the van were released as part of the appeal by Scotland Yard on Wednesday.

Taxi driver Bulent Kabala, 41, died after being hit with bullets to the head and chest on Monday, February 12, in front of shops in Cockfosters, in the borough of Barnet.

Three or four suspects are believed to have exited a blue Ford Transit van and shot Mr Kabala after he got out of his silver Mercedes, police said.

The Metropolitan Police has released the new images as officers seek to build more details of the vehicle's movements on the night of the killing.

Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, of the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, who is leading the investigation into the death of Bulent Kabala, said: "I now believe we know who supplied the Ford Transit that was used in the murder.

"However, I still need the public's help to build a picture of the van's movements prior to the fatal shooting, up until the time it was found abandoned.

"The van had building tools in the back, which may have been for cover by Bulent's murderer. It is possible that they were stolen. I would ask that anyone who recognises either the van or its contents to contact the incident room with any information. Five images of the tools have been released today.

"We know that Bulent got out of his silver Mercedes car just as he had just entered a roundabout, when three or four suspects got out of the Transit van and shot him. They then got back into the van and drove off in the direction of Edgeworth Road."

A 30-year-old man, a serving prisoner, was arrested on Wednesday, 19 September on suspicion of conspiring with others to commit murder.

He remains in police custody for questioning.

This comes after a 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Tuesday, February 20, and since released under investigation.

When the incident occurred, police were called at 11.44pm on Monday, February 12, to Mount Pleasant, at the junction with Edgeworth Road in Barnet to reports of shots fired.

Officers attended and found Mr Kabala of Enfield suffering from gunshot wounds and he was pronounced dead around half an hour later.

A post-mortem examination held on February 15 gave cause of death as gunshot wounds to the head and chest.

The blue van, believed to be used in the murder, was found abandoned by officers in Pilgrims Close, on February 14.

The vehicle, which was stolen on January 6, had been fitted with stolen Polish number plates.