Appeal over danger men wanted abroad

Scotland Yard appealed today for help to trace 10 dangerous criminals hiding in Britain who are wanted overseas.

Detectives published a list of 10 offenders from Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Britain.

They released details of criminals, who include murderers, rapists, armed robbers, kidnappers and gangsters on the run across the country.

Among those wanted are Romanian Neculai Margineau, 49, who punched and kicked a farmer to death in his homeland in May 1998. He has links to Mitcham and Enfield.

Pole Tomasz Galas, 28, is wanted in his home country for an attempted rape in Radom in 2001 and cannabis smuggling.

Police also want to trace Giedrius Rimidis, 24, after he subjected a woman to a terrifying rape ordeal in July 2008 in Lithuania. He has links to Leyton, east London.

Officers also issued details of one Briton, John McLean, 23, who is wanted in Virginia, in the United States, over a high-value burglary at a university. He has links to Tower Hamlets and High Wycombe.

Others on the list included a Polish extorter with links to west London, a Romanian armed robber with ties in Birmingham and a Lithuanian kidnapper who may have stayed in Manchester.

Detective Sergeant Dean Coyle of Scotland Yard's extradition unit said police had been unable to trace the men so far.

He said all the men were believed to have links to London and hoped the public manhunt, codenamed Operation Sunfire, would flush them out.

"We are hoping the public's vigilance can help us in tracing these men," he said.

"Many are dangerous and should not be approached. However if you spot them or believe you know where they are living, working or frequenting then I would urge you to give Crimestoppers a call so that my team can find and arrest them.

"The countries where these crimes happened want these men back to face justice for these offences and it is in the interests of London to help find them."

Anyone with information about any of the men is asked to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.