Violent Sex Offender Sought After Spate Of Attacks In Chiswick

Eight year old boy was one of those injured during rampage

Police are trying to trace a dangerous man believed to be on the run in the Chiswick area since absconding from a mental health unit in Hammersmith a week ago.

Vitalij Kovaliov, 35, was last seen at around 4.30pm on Friday, 24 June whilst on escorted leave from the Claybrook Centre which is next to Charing Cross Hospital. He made off from staff on King Street, W6 and headed towards Chiswick.

Police in Hammersmith & Fulham tweeted an image of Kovaliov on the 25 June, the day after he absconded but there was no media appeal until Friday 1 July.

We have asked the police why it has taken several days to issue a public warning about this man.

The public have been warned not to approach him- members of the public should immediately contact police via 999 if they see him. Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Kovaliov is asked to contact police via 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Kovaliov is a registered sex offender and is known to be violent. He is described as a white man, between 5ft 11ins and 6ft 1in tall and of a medium build.

The most serious incident was at 6 am on Wednesday, 29 June in Anstice Close W4, where an eight-year-old boy was assaulted after his mother opened the door to a man she thought was a delivery driver. The boy received minor cuts to his face and was taken to hospital where he received medical treatment.

The first incident happened at around 12.20pm on Tuesday, 28 June, at British Grove, W4. A 25-year-old woman was waiting at the location to take delivery of a parcel when a man approached her and spray-painted her hair red before making off.

There were five further offences reported to police on the same day:

At 12.39pm officers were informed that a man had wandered into the middle of the street at Cranbrook Road, Chiswick and exposed himself.

At 1pm there was a report made to police that a man had punched a 19-year-old man in the face on Cranbrook Road, Chiswick and made off.

At 1.30pm officers were alerted to an incident at Chiswick High Road where a 32-year-old man had been punched in the back by a male suspect who then made off.

At 2pm officers were informed of a racially aggravated assault at Essex Place, W4. A 27-year-old black woman stated she had been racially abused by a white man who then threw a plastic bottle in her face before making off.

At 2.30 pm officers were informed that a suspect had sprayed graffiti on a van in Chiswick High Road.

A further incident on Wednesday, 29 June occurred at Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre at 7.40pm. The victim was walking out of the leisure centre when a man approached him and knocked a box of fruit he was carrying out of his hand. The suspect then picked the fruit up and threw it at the victim before making off.

Detectives from Hammersmith and Fulham and Hounslow are working together to trace Kovaliov and investigate the Chiswick offences.

July 4, 2016