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British police seize car in Russia poison investigation

By Susan McFarland
Neil Basu, assistant commissioner of specialist operations for London police, speaks to reporters Monday about the investigation into the death of a woman who came into contact with a Russian nerve agent. Photo by Rick Findler/EPA-EFE
Neil Basu, assistant commissioner of specialist operations for London police, speaks to reporters Monday about the investigation into the death of a woman who came into contact with a Russian nerve agent. Photo by Rick Findler/EPA-EFE

July 10 (UPI) -- Police searching for the source of a Russian nerve agent that killed a woman and sickened three others have seized a car about 40 miles away from the original investigation site.

The car was seized Monday from a residential street in Swindon, authorities said.

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The move comes a day after police opened a murder investigation into the death of Dawn Sturgess, who died from exposure to a Russian-made Novichok nerve agent.

Sturgess, 44, and partner Charlie Rowley, 45, were poisoned June 30 by the same substance that sickened former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his adult daughter in March. Rowley is in critical condition. Sergei and Yulia Skripal became seriously ill, but have both recovered.

British Home Secretary Sajid Javid said scientists have yet not determined if the nerve agent that caused Sturgess' death was from the same batch that poisoned the Skripals.

Officials say the substance was manufactured in the then-Soviet Union during the 1970s and can be picked up by merely handling a contaminated item.

A tweet by police said, "the public should not be alarmed by this. Those involved have the training & expertise to safely remove the vehicle" and the risk to the public remains low."

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Sally Davies, Britan's chief medical adviser, also said the threat to the public is low but reinforced warnings to residents of Salisbury and Amesbury against touching stray containers, syringes, needles, cosmetics or similar objects.

"Nobody, adult or child, should pick up any foreign object which could contain liquid or gel, in the interests of their own safety," Davies said. "This is particularly important as families are starting to prepare for their children's summer holidays and so I am asking that people are extra vigilant.

"To be clear: do not pick up anything that you haven't dropped yourself."

British officials have demanded answers from Moscow for the latest poisoning. Russian officials have denied involvement.

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