A man who was crushed to death after climbing into a bin lorry was reportedly a domestic violence suspect.
Detectives have built a theory that the man, in his late 40s, was hiding from police in Wandsworth, south London, when he climbed into a bin.
The Metropolitan Police reportedly believe he died after the bin was tipped into the truck by council contractors in the borough.
He was discovered on Monday, July 10, on Glen Albyn Road, SW19, and pronounced dead at the scene at 9.25am.
Police had attended a nearby domestic disturbance approximately 20 minutes beforehand.
The Met said a call was made at 9.05am on Monday from an address in Wandsworth where a woman in her late 40s and a young boy were reported injured.
Their injuries were found not life-threatening or changing, and attending officers were later informed that a man was found unresponsive nearby, in the rear of a bin lorry, the service added.
Emergency responders from the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade responded to the report and pronounced the man dead.
A spokesman for the service said detectives continue to investigate circumstances surrounding the death but that they are not thought suspicious at present.
They said: “The death is being treated as unexpected and unexplained, but not suspicious at this time.
“His next of kin have been informed. No other parties are believed to be involved and no arrests have been made with regard to this incident.
“The family have asked that media respect their privacy at this difficult time.”
As police were not chasing the suspect when he was found dead, the matter has reportedly not been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
A post-mortem will now establish whether the man was deceased or alive when he fell into the bin lorry.
The service has also launched an appeal for information following the incident.
Witnesses or anyone with information can call the police non-emergency number at 101 and provide tips via the reference CAD 2095/10JUL.
They can also contact the service online via its @MetCC Twitter account.
