Killer ‘stalked 3rd woman victim’ in robbery rampage
A THIEF who murdered a pensioner after attacking two women is believed to have stalked a third female victim during his knife rampage.
John Baker was stabbed to death as he went home in Bridgeton, Glasgow, in the early hours of Wednesday.
The 76-year-old was robbed and then killed by the man, who approached him on the street.
Shortly before this, he had stolen a young woman’s handbag and attempted to rob another.
Now detectives believe he had been following a third woman and may have been targeting more victims.
They have appealed for the woman, who was followed only half an hour before the murder, to come forward. Police say the man, who has a scar across his face, stalked the woman before she went into a restaurant.
Last night, part of Stevenson Street, where Mr Baker was killed, remained cordoned off as forensics officers searched for clues.
He lived alone in a flat yards from where he was found bleeding by three members of the public, who called the emergency services.
A neighbour, who had been a friend of Mr Baker for 25 years spoke of his shock and described him as ‘a creature of habit’ who liked to socialise with locals.
He said: ‘He was a quiet man who went about his business and bothered nobody.
‘He was a good neighbour to have. He went to the pub every night and would go out about 9pm. He would come back at the same time every night, generally about 12.30am, and you would hear the door shutting and know it was John.’
The neighbour said Mr Baker had been recovering from an illness and described his death as ‘a tragedy’.
He added: ‘Two female detectives came to my door and they said they were trying to locate John.
‘I then read online that an elderly man had been murdered, so I went down and chapped his door. The police then came back.
‘They were wanting to know what he was like, maybe trying to identify him, and I knew it was John who had been killed after that. He liked listening to his music and he would always have his earphones in.
‘It’s bad that this happens to anybody, but especially to a 76-yearold man. It’s a tragedy.’
Floral tributes to Mr Baker were left near the scene of the killing.
One card read: ‘Taken away before your time John, 76 years and taken by cowards. RIP. Old Calton Neighbours.’
The pensioner was attacked around 12.25am on Wednesday as he walked along Stevenson Street in the East End of the city.
After an altercation with the robber, he was stabbed.
He died after being taken by ambulance to Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
The suspect robbed a 25-year-old woman of her handbag outside Glasgow Central Station by threatening her with a knife at 10.35pm.
Shortly before midnight, a 53year-old woman standing at a bus stop was targeted.
Detective Superintendent Duncan Sloan of Police Scotland’s major investigation team said: ‘At around 11.55pm on Tuesday, June 28, the suspect is believed to have been following a woman on Albion Street and on to Trongate, before she went into the Boteco De Brasil restaurant/bar.
‘We are very keen to speak to this woman as she may have crucial information which may help with identifying the suspect.’
Last night Police Scotland said that a man had been detained in conection with the case and was with officers at a station in Glasgow.
‘Quiet man who bothered nobody’