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| April Jones: man arrested as search continues | April Jones: man arrested as search continues |
| (12 days later) | |
| The family of a five-year-old girl abducted from a street as she played with friends said their lives had been "shattered" and appealed for help in getting her home. | The family of a five-year-old girl abducted from a street as she played with friends said their lives had been "shattered" and appealed for help in getting her home. |
| Detectives were questioning a suspect on Tuesday night and continued to search river banks, fields and hills around the town of Machynlleth in mid-Wales in the hope that April Jones would be found alive. | Detectives were questioning a suspect on Tuesday night and continued to search river banks, fields and hills around the town of Machynlleth in mid-Wales in the hope that April Jones would be found alive. |
| Police sources told the Guardian the man arrested was a 46-year-old called Mark Bridger, who lives streets away from April's home and is known to the family. | Police sources told the Guardian the man arrested was a 46-year-old called Mark Bridger, who lives streets away from April's home and is known to the family. |
| As he was being questioned in Aberystwyth, the police released a statement from the girl's family in which they appealed for her to be returned. | As he was being questioned in Aberystwyth, the police released a statement from the girl's family in which they appealed for her to be returned. |
| The statement read: "Our lives were shattered when our beautiful little girl April, who was playing with friends, was taken from us. We are devastated and our lives have stopped. | The statement read: "Our lives were shattered when our beautiful little girl April, who was playing with friends, was taken from us. We are devastated and our lives have stopped. |
| "Please, please, if you have our little girl let her come home to us. This is such a small, close-knit community and we plead with anyone who has information, no matter how small they may think it is, to contact the police immediately. Please help us bring home our beautiful girl." | "Please, please, if you have our little girl let her come home to us. This is such a small, close-knit community and we plead with anyone who has information, no matter how small they may think it is, to contact the police immediately. Please help us bring home our beautiful girl." |
| Bridger was detained on Tuesday afternoon, around 20 hours after April was snatched from her home on Monday evening. He was found walking down a road near Machynlleth just before April's parents, Coral, 40, and Paul, 43, were about to appear in person to appeal for help. | Bridger was detained on Tuesday afternoon, around 20 hours after April was snatched from her home on Monday evening. He was found walking down a road near Machynlleth just before April's parents, Coral, 40, and Paul, 43, were about to appear in person to appeal for help. |
| Instead of the parents appearing, the senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Reg Bevan, of Dyfed- Powys police, said a 46-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of abduction. He said he hoped the arrest would lead to the discovery of April. "We are still searching for April as if she is alive and we will continue to do so," he said. | Instead of the parents appearing, the senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Reg Bevan, of Dyfed- Powys police, said a 46-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of abduction. He said he hoped the arrest would lead to the discovery of April. "We are still searching for April as if she is alive and we will continue to do so," he said. |
| It is believed the police had been searching for the man for some hours. "We knew he was in the area, we've been anxious to trace him and speak to him," said Bevan. "He came into the inquiry as a result of initial investigations and we have been anxious to trace him. He has a vehicle similar to what was seen near to where April went missing." | It is believed the police had been searching for the man for some hours. "We knew he was in the area, we've been anxious to trace him and speak to him," said Bevan. "He came into the inquiry as a result of initial investigations and we have been anxious to trace him. He has a vehicle similar to what was seen near to where April went missing." |
| At another press conference hours later, Bevan said they continued to question the man but April still had not been found. | At another press conference hours later, Bevan said they continued to question the man but April still had not been found. |
| For the first time he gave details of a vehicle that police were examining: a left-hand drive mid-nineties Land Rover Discovery. April is said to have got into the driver's side or the passenger side of a left-hand drive van-like vehicle. | For the first time he gave details of a vehicle that police were examining: a left-hand drive mid-nineties Land Rover Discovery. April is said to have got into the driver's side or the passenger side of a left-hand drive van-like vehicle. |
| Bevan said he was "extremely concerned" for April. Search teams, including police officers, coastguards and mountain rescue experts, continued to look for her. | Bevan said he was "extremely concerned" for April. Search teams, including police officers, coastguards and mountain rescue experts, continued to look for her. |
| Among the areas they were combing were the banks of the river Dyfi, which runs through Machynlleth. Police asked the hundreds of members of the public who have helped search to go home and rest in case they are needed again today. | Among the areas they were combing were the banks of the river Dyfi, which runs through Machynlleth. Police asked the hundreds of members of the public who have helped search to go home and rest in case they are needed again today. |
| Superintendent Ian John, the local police commander, said: "We ask the public to take this opportunity to have some rest and, if they're available, to consider coming and helping us again. The residents have really shown themselves to be a very close-knit and kind-hearted community." | Superintendent Ian John, the local police commander, said: "We ask the public to take this opportunity to have some rest and, if they're available, to consider coming and helping us again. The residents have really shown themselves to be a very close-knit and kind-hearted community." |
| It is known that police are identifying known paedophiles that might be living in the area as one line of inquiry. Police also confirmed they are looking at possible links between April's abduction and a suspected attempt last week. A driver was seen "acting suspiciously" in the Aberystwyth area, the apparent target being a young schoolboy. | It is known that police are identifying known paedophiles that might be living in the area as one line of inquiry. Police also confirmed they are looking at possible links between April's abduction and a suspected attempt last week. A driver was seen "acting suspiciously" in the Aberystwyth area, the apparent target being a young schoolboy. |
| April was abducted as she played on her bike with friends near her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate around 7pm on Monday. The seven-year-old friend she was playing with spoke to specially trained officers and told them that apparently April got into the car "willingly". But police were having to proceed slowly and carefully with the girl because she is so young. | April was abducted as she played on her bike with friends near her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate around 7pm on Monday. The seven-year-old friend she was playing with spoke to specially trained officers and told them that apparently April got into the car "willingly". But police were having to proceed slowly and carefully with the girl because she is so young. |
| April's disappearance triggered the first nationwide child rescue alert in the UK. The rescue alert has never been used across the country like this before, partly because suspected stranger-abductions are rare. | April's disappearance triggered the first nationwide child rescue alert in the UK. The rescue alert has never been used across the country like this before, partly because suspected stranger-abductions are rare. |
| Charlie Hedges, manager of the missing, abducted and kidnapped children section within the Child Exploitation and Online Protection unit, said the decision to launch the alert was made because the risk to April was so great, and in the knowledge that to do so could swamp the investigating team. A team from Ceop has travelled to Wales to work with Dyfed-Powys police. | Charlie Hedges, manager of the missing, abducted and kidnapped children section within the Child Exploitation and Online Protection unit, said the decision to launch the alert was made because the risk to April was so great, and in the knowledge that to do so could swamp the investigating team. A team from Ceop has travelled to Wales to work with Dyfed-Powys police. |
| Police forces across the country – including from the Metropolitan police – have offered support to the small rural force. There were nationwide alerts out and police were also looking through CCTV footage from private homes, municipal cameras and the road network. | Police forces across the country – including from the Metropolitan police – have offered support to the small rural force. There were nationwide alerts out and police were also looking through CCTV footage from private homes, municipal cameras and the road network. |
| Neighbours on the Bryn-y-Gog estate where April and her family live said April and the girl who were playing with her were best friends. Judy Price, 56, who lives 200 yards away, said: "They were always together. I would often see them playing together outside their homes. April is a lovely little thing, always smiling and from a very good and caring home." | Neighbours on the Bryn-y-Gog estate where April and her family live said April and the girl who were playing with her were best friends. Judy Price, 56, who lives 200 yards away, said: "They were always together. I would often see them playing together outside their homes. April is a lovely little thing, always smiling and from a very good and caring home." |
| Matthew Harris, 22, who lives on the estate, said: "The general feeling is one of disbelief, nobody can take it on board." | Matthew Harris, 22, who lives on the estate, said: "The general feeling is one of disbelief, nobody can take it on board." |
| April's godmother Mair Raftree, 41, from Aberystwyth, who helped with the effort to find her, said: "She's a quiet girl, and an important member of her family. She would never go with anybody and ask for a lift. We just want her back safely." | April's godmother Mair Raftree, 41, from Aberystwyth, who helped with the effort to find her, said: "She's a quiet girl, and an important member of her family. She would never go with anybody and ask for a lift. We just want her back safely." |
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