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| Alice Gross disappearance: Suspect Arnis Zalkalns has murder conviction | Alice Gross disappearance: Suspect Arnis Zalkalns has murder conviction |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A man wanted in connection with the disappearance of 14-year-old Alice Gross is a convicted murderer, police have revealed. | A man wanted in connection with the disappearance of 14-year-old Alice Gross is a convicted murderer, police have revealed. |
| The schoolgirl was last seen on 28 August when she was spotted on CCTV by the Grand Union Canal in west London. | The schoolgirl was last seen on 28 August when she was spotted on CCTV by the Grand Union Canal in west London. |
| Latvian builder Arnis Zalkalns, who used the same route to get to work, went missing a week later. | Latvian builder Arnis Zalkalns, who used the same route to get to work, went missing a week later. |
| The 41-year-old served seven years in prison for murder in Latvia after being convicted in 1998, police said. | The 41-year-old served seven years in prison for murder in Latvia after being convicted in 1998, police said. |
| Det Supt Carl Mehta, from Scotland Yard's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said Mr Zalkalns may pose a risk to the public. | Det Supt Carl Mehta, from Scotland Yard's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said Mr Zalkalns may pose a risk to the public. |
| He added that he was not wanted in Latvia, he had served his time and had not been on police records in the UK. | He added that he was not wanted in Latvia, he had served his time and had not been on police records in the UK. |
| Police said he was also arrested in the Ealing area of west London in 2009 on suspicion of indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl, but no further action was taken. | |
| Forensic searches were being carried out at Mr Zalkalns' home address on Thursday morning. | Forensic searches were being carried out at Mr Zalkalns' home address on Thursday morning. |
| Mr Mehta stressed that police had no evidence suggesting Alice had come to harm. | Mr Mehta stressed that police had no evidence suggesting Alice had come to harm. |
| "This is not a murder inquiry in the sense that we don't have any evidence or information to say that Alice is not alive," he said. | "This is not a murder inquiry in the sense that we don't have any evidence or information to say that Alice is not alive," he said. |
| Mr Zalkalns was seen on CCTV on 28 August cycling along Brentford Lock at 16:00 BST, 15 minutes after Alice walked that route. He was last seen on 3 September. | Mr Zalkalns was seen on CCTV on 28 August cycling along Brentford Lock at 16:00 BST, 15 minutes after Alice walked that route. He was last seen on 3 September. |
| Mr Mehta said: "He was travelling in the same direction as Alice, about 15 minutes behind on a pedal cycle. So it is highly likely that he came, he certainly came past her or into contact with her. | Mr Mehta said: "He was travelling in the same direction as Alice, about 15 minutes behind on a pedal cycle. So it is highly likely that he came, he certainly came past her or into contact with her. |
| "What happened at that point is a focus of our investigation." | "What happened at that point is a focus of our investigation." |
| Latvian authorities told the Metropolitan Police (Met) about Mr Zalkaln's murder conviction "in the last few days", Scotland Yard said. | Latvian authorities told the Metropolitan Police (Met) about Mr Zalkaln's murder conviction "in the last few days", Scotland Yard said. |
| Asked if he posed a threat to the public, Mr Mehta said: "I think given what we are finding out about his antecedents and his history, clearly he potentially poses a risk to the public. | Asked if he posed a threat to the public, Mr Mehta said: "I think given what we are finding out about his antecedents and his history, clearly he potentially poses a risk to the public. |
| "I would ask if anyone sees him not to approach him but to immediately dial 999 and contact the police." | "I would ask if anyone sees him not to approach him but to immediately dial 999 and contact the police." |
| Mr Zalkaln became a person of interest on 12 September, Mr Mehta said, but he had come to the notice of police before that. | Mr Zalkaln became a person of interest on 12 September, Mr Mehta said, but he had come to the notice of police before that. |
| Officers have said Alice's missing smartphone may hold "key" information about her disappearance. The device last connected to the network at just after 17:00 BST on 28 August. | Officers have said Alice's missing smartphone may hold "key" information about her disappearance. The device last connected to the network at just after 17:00 BST on 28 August. |
| A couple saw her bag on 28 August at about 22:15 BST on the footpath that runs besides the River Brent between Hanwell Bridge and the Grand Union Canal. | A couple saw her bag on 28 August at about 22:15 BST on the footpath that runs besides the River Brent between Hanwell Bridge and the Grand Union Canal. |
| Police also appealed for the public's help tracking down Mr Zalkaln's red Trek mountain bike. | Police also appealed for the public's help tracking down Mr Zalkaln's red Trek mountain bike. |
| They have received more than 100 calls to their #FindAlice investigation after an appeal on BBC Crimewatch earlier this week. | They have received more than 100 calls to their #FindAlice investigation after an appeal on BBC Crimewatch earlier this week. |
| A reward of up to £20,000 is being offered for anyone who has information that leads police to find the missing girl. | A reward of up to £20,000 is being offered for anyone who has information that leads police to find the missing girl. |
| Alice's mother Rosalind Hodgkiss told Crimewatch: "There's not a moment of the day that you don't think about Alice and where she is, what might have happened or why she might have gone missing. | Alice's mother Rosalind Hodgkiss told Crimewatch: "There's not a moment of the day that you don't think about Alice and where she is, what might have happened or why she might have gone missing. |
| "It's almost impossible to describe what that pain feels like but we just want her to know: please Alice, if you're out there, come home." | "It's almost impossible to describe what that pain feels like but we just want her to know: please Alice, if you're out there, come home." |
| Scotland Yard has released an interactive map of the route Alice took. | Scotland Yard has released an interactive map of the route Alice took. |
| Mr Zalkalns has been in UK since 2007 and had been working as a labourer on a building site in Isleworth, west London before he disappeared. | Mr Zalkalns has been in UK since 2007 and had been working as a labourer on a building site in Isleworth, west London before he disappeared. |
| He has a partner and young child living in Ealing and is described as 5'10", stocky with dark brown hair he normally wears in a pony tail. | He has a partner and young child living in Ealing and is described as 5'10", stocky with dark brown hair he normally wears in a pony tail. |
| Since he was last seen at his home on the evening of Wednesday 3 September he has not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone and his passport was left at his house. | Since he was last seen at his home on the evening of Wednesday 3 September he has not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone and his passport was left at his house. |
| Mr Mehta said: "The family and friends of Arnis Zalkalns have no explanation for his disappearance, it's inexplicable as far as they are concerned." | Mr Mehta said: "The family and friends of Arnis Zalkalns have no explanation for his disappearance, it's inexplicable as far as they are concerned." |