A father-of-three stabbed to death as he tried to protect his car repair business was a “loyal and hard-working family man”, his friends said today.
Prabjot Singh Rayat was stabbed in the neck at his garage, Rayat Autos, in an industrial estate in Thamesmead, south London.
A friend at Mr Rayat’s family home in Bexleyheath told the Standard: “They are grieving now and they are very much on shock. It is a very difficult moment for all of us.”
Detectives believe the garage owner may have been the victim of a robbery attempt.
A 34-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently in custody at south London police stations.
Mr Rayat’s body was found by an employee when he arrived for work at the garage on Friday morning.
In a message from India, his nephew Dharamjeet Singh Rayat said: “The death of my beloved uncle has left us spellbound and shocked.”
Neighbour Denise Willis who has known the family for 15 years, said: “He was a really lovely man, and they are a great family. We have been here 15 years and they have been there longer. He was always cheerful and pleasant. All of the neighbours have been quite shocked by the news.”
Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: “He was a very nice, loyal man and had a lovely family. He was really hard working.”
It is believed Mr Rayat had been recovering from cancer in recent years.
Bartimaeus Clarke, who works at the tyre business next to Rayat Autos, said: “I was shocked when I heard. He was quite a happy man and I don’t think he had enemies. I had worked here for five years and he was always a friendly guy and would say hello.”
Mr Rayat was attacked in his garage at around 3am or shortly afterwards on Friday and police say he would sometimes sleep at the premises if he was working late on a car.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Dunne said: “This would have been a very quiet area at night but there may have been people working there and I would be very keen to talk to them. I would ask anyone with information to call us.”
A post-mortem examination took place at Greenwich Mortuary on Saturday and gave the cause of death as a stab wound.
Anyone with any information should call police on 020 8721 4906 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
