Body parts inquiry police hunt man

Mr Hardy has been missing for several days

Police are continuing to search the flat of a man they want to question in connection with the dismembered remains of two women found in bin bags in north London.

Anthony John Hardy, who is in his 50s, has not been seen at his flat in Camden, close to where the remains were found on Monday, for the last few days.

On Wednesday part of the torso of the older woman was discovered at his home in Royal College Street.

Police hope DNA tests will help them identify the bodies as the heads and the hands are missing.

Police are searching the Camden flat

The victims are believed to be a middle-aged woman and a woman in her late teens or early 20s.

They are not thought to be related or to have lived at the flat.

It has also emerged another woman's body was found in Royal College Street in January last year, but the death was due to natural causes.

A police spokesman told BBC News Online: "A man in his 50s was arrested in connection with the death.

Suspect 'dangerous'

"He was subsequently released without charge after the post mortem showed the death was due to natural causes. She died of a heart attack."

Detective Chief Superintendent David Cook, who is leading the investigation into the deaths of the two women, asked anyone with information about the whereabouts of Mr Hardy to contact the police by calling 999.

"The person responsible for this matter must be treated with extreme caution and considered to be dangerous," he said.

The search started after a homeless man found pieces of human legs in a bin liner behind the College Arms pub on Monday.

Remains examined

Later the torso of a young woman was found in a wheelie bin about 100 yards from the original discovery, and several more carrier bags containing other body parts were discovered.

The remains have been taken to St Pancras mortuary, where they are being examined.

It is thought the women were killed during the last week, but police are still not certain how or where they were killed.

Police have already searched databases of missing people.

The spot where the bags were found is only a few hundred yards from where the dismembered body of a trainee rabbi, Andy Hinz, was found wrapped in black plastic in July.

A 24-year-old man has been charged with Mr Hinz's murder and is in custody awaiting trial.