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Police carry out reconstruction of Alice Gross' last known movements as family issue appeal | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Police have carried out a reconstruction of missing schoolgirl Alice Gross' last known movement as her family issue a heartrending appeal for the teenagers safe return. | |
In a statement the Gross family said: “We cannot believe that Alice is not at home with us and every morning brings new agony.” | |
“We are appealing to Alice. If you are out there, to come home where you belong. We love you and we miss you.” | “We are appealing to Alice. If you are out there, to come home where you belong. We love you and we miss you.” |
“We want to be a family again,” they added. | “We want to be a family again,” they added. |
The distraught family appealed to members of the public who might have any information on Alice’s whereabouts, saying: "Please, please help us." | The distraught family appealed to members of the public who might have any information on Alice’s whereabouts, saying: "Please, please help us." |
Four weeks ago 14-year-old Alice was last seen on CCTV walking along a canal towpath towards Hanwell, west London. | Four weeks ago 14-year-old Alice was last seen on CCTV walking along a canal towpath towards Hanwell, west London. |
Today a Metropolitan police spokesperson said: "This has been the largest gathering and securing of CCTV evidence since the London riots." | |
Police are also searching for the convicted Latvian murderer Arnis Zalkalns. | |
Builder Zalkalns, who has been missing since 3 September, was seen cycling along the same towpath 15 minutes after Alice. | Builder Zalkalns, who has been missing since 3 September, was seen cycling along the same towpath 15 minutes after Alice. |
In 1998 he was imprisoned for the brutal murder of his first wife, who he lured to a secluded wooded area and bludgeoned to death before standing over her pre-prepared grave and drinking. He served seven years of an eight year sentence before arriving in the UK in 2007. | In 1998 he was imprisoned for the brutal murder of his first wife, who he lured to a secluded wooded area and bludgeoned to death before standing over her pre-prepared grave and drinking. He served seven years of an eight year sentence before arriving in the UK in 2007. |
Armis Zalkalns, 41, was reported missing on 5 September; Alice Gross is only 14 The search for Alice has been the largest since the 7/7 bombings. Police have followed 729 lines of inquiry, speaking to over a thousand of members of the public since she was reported missing on 28 August. | |
Around 600 officers - across eight forces - have been involved in the search, with detectives now pursing inquiries in Latvian capital Riga. They ahve also released an interactive map tracking Alice's last movements. | |
Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "The public's support has been amazing, both from the local community and all the hundreds of people who have called in to give us information. | Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "The public's support has been amazing, both from the local community and all the hundreds of people who have called in to give us information. |
"We still need your help to find Alice and bring her home to her family.” | "We still need your help to find Alice and bring her home to her family.” |
Speaking to the BBC Force Commander Graham McNulty admitted naming Zalkalns as a suspect in Alice’s disappearance was a “kind of last resort.” | |
“It’s not very often we seek to name suspects … because you’re tipping people off,” he said. | “It’s not very often we seek to name suspects … because you’re tipping people off,” he said. |
Map showing Alice's last movements (Met Police) | |
There is a £20,000 reward for any information leading detectives to Alice. | There is a £20,000 reward for any information leading detectives to Alice. |
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