A 'loving' father who was murdered on a millionaires' row in London was a prolific gangster who worked for an international criminal network, the Daily Mail can reveal.
asserted
Mail → love → network
A murder investigation is entering its second week after 28-year-old Reece Salmon was found with stab wounds outside a £1.55million home on Lloyd Baker Street, Clerkenwell, last Wednesday, and died in hospital the next day.
asserted
Salmon → enter → hospital
The killer is still at large, bringing shock, anger and secrecy to the affluent Islington neighbourhood, which locals described as 'peaceful, quiet and safe'.
asserted
locals → bring → which
At around 11.20pm on September 16, residents were suddenly startled by the flashing blue lights of police cars and ambulances penetrating through the shutters of their townhouses.
asserted
residents → startle → townhouses
When the Daily Mail visited this week, a memorial was in place opposite the murder scene with flowers, candles and emotional cards mixed in with bottles and cans of AU Vodka, Courvoisier, Jack Daniels, Red Bull, Buzzballs and magnums.
asserted
memorial → visit → Vodka
Inspecting the vigil, a long-time friend who went to nursery with Mr Salmon told us: 'He was the f***ing loveliest guy you'd ever meet.
asserted
you → inspect → us
He didn't have a bad bone in his body, a proper respectful geezer.
asserted
He → have → body
'
Releasing a picture of him sipping a Pornstar Martini cocktail on holiday, his 'devastated' family also described him as a 'loving partner and son' who 'leaves behind many friends and loved ones'.
asserted
who → release → friends
Yet the Daily Mail can reveal that today Salmon was jailed in Britain for a spate of gang robberies across London – before becoming an international fraudster in New Zealand while working for a UK-based criminal organisation.
asserted
Salmon → reveal → organisation
Reece Salmon was stabbed to death in Clerkenwell, Islington, on September 16
Detectives set up a crime scene on Lloyd Baker Street in Islington, north London
Pictures released by New Zealand police show Salmon as a 'courier' (left) for a British criminal gang – and when he was deported back to the UK (right)
asserted
he → stab → UK
Salmon, of City Road, Islington, was a member of a moped gang who – armed with axes, samurai swords and zombie knives – brought terror to the streets of London.
asserted
who → arm → London
He and three others were described as 'big operators in north London' after carrying out a spate of phone snatches and robberies across the capital.
asserted
He → describe → capital
Salmon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery in Camden, Islington, Westminster and the City of London in 2019, and was jailed for three years and nine months.
asserted
Salmon → plead → years
After serving time in prison, he moved to New Zealand, where he carried out a wicked campaign of fraud while working for a criminal organisation based in the UK.
asserted
he → serve → UK
He was jailed there in June last year for his role in an elaborate NZ$400,000 (£171,000) campaign of fraud against pensioners, aged between 69 and 95, including conning one of his victims at a retirement village.
asserted
He → jail → village
Salmon worked for a criminal gang in the UK, with the frauds carried out by phone internationally.
asserted
frauds → work → phone
He was a 'courier' in New Zealand, picking up the cash and gold from the victims' homes.
asserted
He → pick → homes
Members of the criminal gang posed as police officers, conning victims to co-operate with them in what they believed was an undercover investigation.
asserted
they → pose → them
'The victims' assistance involved them withdrawing large amounts of cash from their banks or, in some cases, purchasing gold bullion,' the judge told Wellington District Court.
asserted
judge → involve → bullion
According to local media, the victims would take the cash and gold to their homes before a courier would come to them with a codeword and take the delivery away.
uncertain
courier → accord → delivery
Salmon, one of the couriers, took money and gold from 19 victims between July 2024 and early August, often wearing disguises.
asserted
Salmon → take → disguises
He was arrested when one of his victims was asked to buy $170,000 in gold bullion and police intercepted as Salmon arrived to pick it up.
asserted
Salmon → arrest → it
In total, he stole $239,500 in cash and $172,000 in gold.
asserted
he → steal → gold
A widow, who lived alone, said in her victim impact statement that she had $171,000 in gold and $20,000 in cash stolen over four visits.
asserted
she → live → visits
Salmon pleaded guilty to 15 counts of obtaining cash and gold by deception – and another two charges of attempting to obtain by deception.
asserted
Salmon → plead → deception
He was sentenced to four years in prison, reduced for his guilty pleas and the impact a custodial sentence would have on his partner and daughter, then aged three.
asserted
sentence → sentence → partner
However, he was granted parole in February this year and deported back to Britain.
asserted
he → grant → Britain
You have the ability to change,' the judge told him.
asserted
judge → have → him
'Clearly since you were a young person you've been mixing with a criminal crowd.
asserted
you → mix → crowd
Your background of offending has made that likely that you will be engaged with others who will lead you into a path of offending.
asserted
who → offend → offending
You have the ability to decide on your return to the UK whether you will continue with that type of connection or separate yourself and concentrate on your partner and child.
asserted
you → have → partner
That's a decision that you have to make.
asserted
you → have → that
Salmon had only been back in Islington for seven months before he was stabbed to death.
asserted
he → stab → death
Salmon was previously jailed for four years over a string of robberies.
asserted
Salmon → jail → robberies
He later relocated to New Zealand where he defrauded elderly victims out of $400,000
Pictures show some of the gold that was recovered when Salmon was finally caught in New Zealand
asserted
Salmon → relocate → Zealand
A memorial has been set up for Reece Salmon, with his initials spelled out in balloons and candles
Forensic officers work at the scene on Lloyd Baker Street, where houses are worth up to £2.25million
A collage of images were left of the victim – as friends came by to pay tribute
For much of the last seven days, residents say they have had to sign in and out with police every time they leave their homes as homicide detectives piece together just what happened.
Detectives have been forensically combing the area and interviewing neighbours on Lloyd Baker Street, where homes are worth up to £2.25million, for the last week, but the knifeman is still on the run.
asserted
knifeman → set → run
Pictures of him wearing a matching Arsenal kit with his daughter have been left at the memorial, along with his 'RS' initials spelled out in candles and flowers.
asserted
Pictures → wear → candles
A friend at the memorial said: 'I know as much as the police.
asserted
I → say → police
They obviously don't have a clue, they've been driving everyone mad.
asserted
they → have → everyone
'I've known him for years, I used to go to nursery with him.
asserted
I → know → him
…and 29 more, not listed.
The Aporia
