10 years on, hunt continues for killers of Leeds businessman John Luper

THE brother of a millionaire businessman who was murdered 10 years ago today says he is more determined than ever to see the killers caught.
Toby Luper, brother of John, with Detective Chief Inspector Simon Atkinson, outside the house.Toby Luper, brother of John, with Detective Chief Inspector Simon Atkinson, outside the house.
Toby Luper, brother of John, with Detective Chief Inspector Simon Atkinson, outside the house.

John Luper, 57, died in a robbery at his million-pound home in Alwoodley, Leeds, while his family were tied up upstairs. Despite exhaustive investigations at the time and during the intervening years, the offenders have never been brought to justice.

Mr Luper’s brother Toby has insisted that he will never give up hope and still believes that the killers will be tracked down.

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“As long as I have got breath in my body I’ll see these people brought to book,” he said.

Manufacturing businessman Mr Luper had been walking his dog when he was attacked and dragged into the house by a gang. His wife Iycian, daughter Liza-rose and their au pair were tied up while the gang stole £100,000 of jewellery and cash before fleeing.

Mr Luper was found dead by his family in the early hours of February 17, 2004. A post-mortem examination revealed that he died of asphyxiation. Among the items stolen was a distinctive Cartier watch – one of only four in the country at the time.

Speaking on the tenth anniversary of his brother’s murder, Toby Luper said: “You can never get over this. It might get a little bit easier, but I think about him every single day and you have to understand that my brother and I were like one finger. We were very close. To lose someone like that is impossible to get over.

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“It’s a different type of pain. At first I was extremely angry, now my anger has turned to the fact that I’m more determined than ever to help the police in any way I can.

“I lost my mother on the fifth anniversary of my brother’s death. That still hurts. These people have been out there for 10 years, free, when they should be locked up. I feel like I’ve been constrained for 10 years. I’ve been the victim, my family have been the victims.”

Senior investigator Detective Chief Inspector Simon Atkinson said forensic examinations are continuing. “Although we have gone 10 years, our resolve to get the answers for the Luper family is undiminished,” he said. “We feel we’re not far off from getting this case to where it belongs – in court.”

Talks have been held with the Forensic Science Service and a “large number” of the exhibits that were seized 10 years ago are continuing to be examined, he said.

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“This would have been quite a major offence at the time. There would have been talk among the criminal fraternity certainly because it was a wealthy businessman, a large amount of property was stolen and Mr Luper lost his life.

“I firmly believe that it will still be talked about today and those allegiances over time would have started to break down and I would appeal to anyone who was involved in the commission of this horrendous offence, or who was on the periphery or was involved in the planning. Now is the time to come forward.

“Mr Luper was targeted. People would have known his routine and would have been lying in wait. This is not an opportunist – it’s criminals who have planned this.

“We got a sense from speaking to Mr Luper’s family at the time that this was a robbery that had gone wrong – they were trying to be apologetic and the impact of what had happened had been brought home to bear.”

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