Police investigating the fatal stabbing of Mujaahid Wilson in Thornton Heath have found "several knives" close to where he was killed in the three days since the murder.

Aspiring rapper Mr Wilson, 20, died from a single stab wound to the heart following a fight outside Mamma's Pizza takeaway in High Street just after 8.30pm on Monday.

Three men aged between 17 and 25 have been arrested and bailed on suspicion of murdering Mr Wilson, known to his friends as Tiny Sneaky or TS.

But Detective Chief Inspector Will Reynolds, who is leading the investigation, said he was still hunting for a masked man who is believed to have carried out the fatal blow.

RELATED: Two men arrested on suspicion of murder after fatal Thornton Heath stabbing of Muhaajid Wilson

RELATED: Murder arrest after man, 20, stabbed to death by 'masked attacker' after fight 

Speaking to the Croydon Guardian today, DCI Wilson revealed his officers had recovered "four or five" knives in and around Thornton Heath High Street since the stabbing - "in drain covers, alleyways, and just found by members of the public".

But he said he "couldn't be sure" at this stage whether one of these blades was used to kill Mr Wilson, adding that the weapons haul was "the result when you search hard enough on the streets of the London".

Mr Wilson was killed following an argument that began when he approached a group of "five or six" men standing outside Mamma's High Street on Monday night.

After a fight broke out that spilled out into the street and ended when Mr Wilson was stabbed, a young black man wearing dark clothes and face mask is believed to have run off at speed down nearby Gisland Road.

DCI Reynolds said there could be "no argument" about the facts of Mr Wilson's death after viewing CCTV from a shop and Croydon Council cameras.

He said police were not treating the murder as gang-related, adding CCTV had provided so far provided little clue about the motive for the stabbing.

He said: "The motive is still unclear, but it appears to have been a private argument. 

"We don't know why [Mr Wilson] was there and that's one thing we need to try and establish.

"It's a subjective assessment, but [Mr Wilson] could have been interpreted as the person who throws the first punch, and from there the incident really [escalated]."

Echoing earlier appeals, DCI Reynolds said the police were focussing their attention on the masked man who ran off after the killing.

CCTV footage clearly shows the suspect standing outside Mamma's pizza in the group of men, although his face was obscured by a "face mask held tightly over his head", the detective said.

He added: "I don't know whether it's the clothes he rolls in all the time, or whether he's trying to hide his identity."

With the murder investigation still in its "early days", DCI Reynolds pleaded with members of the group outside Mamma's to come forward with information about the killer.

He said: "The people who are with the suspect clearly know him - they're having a conversation, smoking, eating, talking to another. But there was only one person involved in the stabbing."

DCI Reynolds said there had been a "reasonably good return of witnesses" since the stabbing, including some members of the group standing outside Mamma's who feared they would be implicated for joint enterprise.

But the detective admitted he was "still short of people being entirely truthful with me".

He added: "I understand people are reluctant – it’s a horrible fatal stabbing in Thornton Heath High Street, and people are scared".

Mr Wilson's family had been "very positive and supportive" in the hunt for his killers, DCI Reynolds said.

Since his death a number of prominent members of the south London grime and rap scene, including Thornton Heath artists Stormzy and Section Boyz, have paid tribute to the young man on social media.

DCI Reynolds said his officers "haven't spoken to anyone from that tier of the community" since the stabbing, but had been conducting house to house enquiries in the area.

On Tuesday morning, less than 12 hours after the killing, two young men approached the police cordon outside Mamma's Pizza.

One opened a bottle of what appeared to be brandy and began pouring it over the pavement in an apparent tribute, before being approached by two police officers and walking away.

On Monday police will hold a "high-visibility” one-week anniversary appeal outside Mamma's Pizza to try and encourage more witnesses to come forward.

DCI Reyolds said: "We're looking to really raise the awareness and find that key witness who might tell us the identity of the stabber.

"This will happen again unless someone has the courage to come forward and provide the name of the fatal stabber. I may have sit with another family in due course and explain how they lost a family member."

Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 020 8721 4205 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Did you know Muhaajid Wilson? Call the newsdesk on 0208 722 6388 or email daniel.omahony@newsquest.co.uk