John Luper: Brother of prominent Yorkshire businessman murdered in home invasion appeals to finally solve 20-year mystery

The millionaire textiles entrepreneur died after a home invasion at his house in the north Leeds suburb of Alwoodley in which his wife, daughter and au pair were also tied up by robbers who escaped with jewellery, cash and a bespoke Cartier watch.

The 57-year-old was walking his dog along Sandmoor Drive on February 16, 2004, when four or five masked men dragged him back to the family home on one of Leeds’ most exclusive streets.

The three women were left in an upstairs room, and when they freed themselves, they found Mr Luper unconscious on the floor of the morning room. He had died from ashphyxiation.

West Yorkshire Police and John’s younger brother Toby, who worked with him at their father’s garment factory as a young man, have released an appeal on the 20th anniversary of the horrific robbery, hoping that advances in forensic techniques as well as new information from potential witnesses may finally solve the case.

Toby, a tailor, said: “As a brother, he was the best. We were like one finger. Totally different, but we were very close, and people used to say you couldn't get a cigarette paper between us. He was loyal. He was a great family man. He would help anyone. He would go out of his way to help anyone, sometimes even at his own detriment.”

“They’re known, the people that did this must be known. The people that know them must have known what happened. It's impossible not to.

“But hopefully what's going on now with the police investigations, the continuing police investigations, for which the family are very grateful, will enable these people to be caught and brought to justice eventually, through the advances of DNA technology.

“Sometimes you read in the paper where people say I the forgive the attacker. I can't forgive the attacker. I'll never forgive. He’s given me a life sentence.

“And his family, his friends, his associates, they must know. They're human beings. We may not have the same ethics or the same morals as I have, and my family have. But they're human beings. If a similar thing happened to them, what would they do? How would they behave? Why should it, they've got away with this for 20 years.

“I would like justice. I would like justice for my mother who died on the very day he did. So, five years later. She cried every day. I don't want sympathy, I want justice.

“And these people know. They know. So the person that did it knows. They'll be having nightmares because there will be a knock on the door.

“I will never go away until these people are in the place they deserve to be.”

Detective Chief Inspector Damian Roebuck said: “The devastating effects of what happened 20 years ago are still heartfelt with the family of John Luper.

“He was a prominent businessman in the north Leeds area. I would urge anyone who, around February or January 2004, knew of persons making inquiries into him and his business dealings to come forward with names.

“We know that these attackers made demands for cash and jewellery. Were you actually approached and asked to buy jewellery from unknown people or people you know who didn't actually have provenance or receipts for that jewellery?

“After 20 years our allegiances change and misguided loyalty subsides. It's now time to come forward with an actual name or names of the people responsible for such a horrible crime.”

The platinum, diamond-encrusted Cartier watch was one of only four in the country at the time, yet was never traced.

One of the gang was described as a ‘reluctant robber’ as the family overheard him saying he was sorry for what was happening and did not want to be there.

The Lupers are well-known in the Leeds Jewish community, and John was part of the United Hebrew Congregation.

John and Toby’s grandfather, Isaac Black, was a master tailor in Leeds in the 1940s and 50s, and their father Stanley and uncle Norman Black set up Black & Luper on Kirkstall Road, the largest single-storey clothing factory in the country. It made garments for Burton and Burberry.

Over the years, John’s daughter Liza-Rose, who was 20 at the time of the robbery, has also joined Toby in asking for information.

Police have always maintained that John was targeted by professional criminals who knew his routine, and the family felt that the robbery had ‘gone wrong’.

Farm buildings in Liversedge were searched around a year later and police worked on a theory that the suspects were from the Bradford area.

Anyone with specific information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact West Yorkshire Police's Major Investigation Review Team via 101 quoting Operation Ashkirk or online at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat

Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.