BARNET'S top policeman has come forward to reassure the public after a spate of gun crimes, including two murders, in the past five weeks.

On Saturday Romanian Bogdan 'Tony' Paduret was killed in his car outside his Tillingbourne Gardens, Finchley, home and another man shot in the back and groin in the West Hendon Estate on Thursday morning.

Those incidents follow the murder of teenager Marvin Henry in Mill Hill at the end of October.

Despite this borough commander, Chief Superintendent Neil Basu, has moved to reassure residents the offences were “entirely unrelated and confined to disputes between individuals who knew each other”.

In a message released today he said: “Over the past few months there have been a number of gun crimes in Barnet resulting in murder and very serious injury.

“Although few in number these are some of the gravest of crimes. I know first hand the devastating effect on the family and friends of the victims and the shock it causes to the wider community.

“I want Barnet’s residents to know that our officers have worked closely with our specialist detectives from New Scotland Yard to help track down those responsible and bring them to justice.”

He added Safer Neighbourhood Teams have stepped up patrols in the affected areas and praised witnesses who have come forward to pass on information to police.

Mr Basu added: “I cannot thank every single person who comes forward to help us enough.

“You help the victim’s family and friends understand that great good often comes from great evil and it is only when the monsters who commit these crimes are convicted that families get any form of closure.

“These offences are grave but they are rare, which is why they startle us when they happen in what continues to be one of London’s safest boroughs.”

He urged anyone with information to contact police and stressed the number of serious violent attacks has dropped by a third in the area in the last 12 months.