Detectives have launched a manhunt after the Plumstead Common substance attack left a man in his forties in hospital on Sunday morning.
An unknown liquid was thrown into the victim’s face on Plumstead Common Road in Plumstead, south-east London, at around 6.35am on 27 September. Emergency services attended and he was treated at the scene for facial injuries before being taken to hospital.
The Metropolitan Police said officers attended alongside crews from the London Ambulance Service. “A man in his 40s was treated for injuries to his face before being taken to hospital,” a spokesperson said. “His injuries have been assessed as neither life-threatening or life-changing.”
Key facts
- What happened: The Plumstead Common substance attack — a man in his 40s had a substance thrown in his face on Plumstead Common Road
- When: Around 6.35am on Sunday, 27 September
- Where: Plumstead Common, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, south-east London
- Injuries: Facial injuries; hospitalised, but assessed as neither life-threatening nor life-changing
- Investigation: Metropolitan Police; no arrests so far; forensic and CCTV enquiries under way
Police launch manhunt after Plumstead Common substance attack
Detectives have described their enquiries as urgent, with forensic teams examining the scene and officers trawling CCTV from around the common and neighbouring streets in an effort to identify the attacker. No arrests had been made as of Monday morning.
The force sought to reassure residents, saying: “We understand this incident will be of concern to the local community and at this stage, it is being treated as an isolated incident.”
Officers are appealing for anyone who was in the area in the early hours of Sunday — including dog walkers, runners and drivers with dashcam footage — to come forward. CCTV footage has proved decisive in other recent London investigations, and detectives will be keen to gather any recordings from the area. Information can be passed to the Metropolitan Police on 101, or anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Timeline: what happened on Sunday morning
- 6.35am: Police receive reports that a substance has been thrown at a man on Plumstead Common Road.
- Shortly afterwards: Officers arrive at the scene with London Ambulance Service paramedics, and the victim is treated for injuries to his face.
- Later that morning: The man, in his 40s, is taken to hospital, where his injuries are assessed as neither life-threatening nor life-changing.
- Rest of Sunday: Detectives begin urgent enquiries, including forensic examination of the scene and trawls of CCTV.
- Monday: The hunt for the suspect in the Plumstead Common substance attack continues; no arrests have been made and enquiries remain ongoing.
What to do if a substance is thrown at you
Corrosive-substance attacks are rare, but in the wake of the Plumstead Common substance attack, here is the advice emergency services give the public — remember three steps: report, remove, rinse.
- Report it: Call 999 immediately and move somewhere safe.
- Remove: Carefully take off any contaminated clothing, avoiding further contact with the skin.
- Rinse: Wash the affected area with plenty of cool running water for at least 20 minutes, if it is safe to do so.
Do not rub the affected area or try to neutralise the substance with other chemicals, and seek urgent medical help even if the injury initially seems minor.
A quiet corner of the borough
Plumstead Common is one of south-east London’s historic open spaces, a broad stretch of green popular with dog walkers, joggers and families, ringed by Victorian terraces. Like many of the capital’s commons and heaths, it is usually at its busiest in daylight — meaning few witnesses are likely to have been around at 6.35am on the Sunday the Plumstead Common substance attack took place.
The incident is the latest serious emergency in the Royal Borough of Greenwich to draw a major police response, after a man was found badly hurt on a Woolwich street. Police have stressed, however, that there is no wider risk to the public and the Plumstead Common substance attack is being treated as isolated.
