3 suspects wanted in south London highrise burst pipe investigation

Nearly two weeks after a burst pipe forced the evacuation of a south London apartment building and caused $3 to $5 million in damages, police have released suspect images and descriptions.

Emergency personnel were called to 940 Commissioners Rd. E. at roughly 7 a.m. on July 10 to reports of flooding impacting the several floors. Electricity was shut off to the entire building as a safety precaution for much of the day.

At the time, emergency crews said the incident impacted the first three floors of the building, but on Tuesday police said the fourth floor was also impacted.

“About four floors had damage caused to them,” said Cst. Tanya Alexander. “About half of the displaced people have returned as of the end of last week. Restoration crews are continuing to fix the issues.”

It’s not clear how many residents were impacted by the flooding, nor how many remain out of their units. Police said that the exact cause of the burst pipe was under investigation but was being treated as suspicious.

“Some tenants were displaced because of the hydro issues, while others were displaced due to the damage caused by the water,” Alexander said.

On Tuesday, London police released suspect descriptions, images, and video for three individuals.

All three are described as white men with a slim or thin build.

The first suspect is described as in his 30s, about 5′ 10″ tall. He may have stained and crooked teeth and had thin, dark facial hair at the time of the incident.

The second suspect is tan, in his mid-20s to early 30s and roughly 5′ 6″ to 5′ 8″ tall.

The third suspect is described as in his early to mid-40s with “salt and pepper” facial hair. He has a faded tattoo on his left forearm and might have a faded tattoo “on the webbing of his left hand, between thumb and index finger.”

The investigation is ongoing and police ask anyone with information to call them at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).