Two men arrested over special constable murder

LONDON, Dec 6 (Reuters) Detectives have arrested two men in connection with the murder of special constable Nisha Patel-Nasri who was stabbed to death outside her home in May, police said today.

Patel-Nasri, 29, who also worked as a hairdresser, was off duty when she was attacked outside her house in Wembley, northwest London.

She was found in her nightclothes and police say she may have come out of the house after hearing someone tampering with cars parked outside.

Police said a 37-year-old man from north London and a 41-year-old man from east London were arrested in the early hours today morning.

Detectives have also recovered an Audi A4 which they believe was the one they had been looking for after it was seen ''acting suspiciously'' in a nearby street at the time of the murder.

In September, detectives said they had found the knife used to kill her, a John Lewis cook's knife which had been missing from her kitchen since the attack.

The Crimestoppers charity has offered 30,000 pounds to anyone who can help find Patel-Nasri's killer, and the Sun newspaper has also offered a 10,000 pound reward.

She was buried in June at a ceremony attended by hundreds of colleagues, with more than 100 officers dressed in full uniform lining the streets as her funeral cortege passed.

Special constables have the same powers as regular police. They assist officers and carry out their duties in their spare time.

REUTERS LL PM1818