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| Police searching for missing teenager Alice Gross find a body in river Brent | Police searching for missing teenager Alice Gross find a body in river Brent |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police searching for the missing London teenager Alice Gross say the case is now a murder inquiry after finding a body in the river Brent. | Police searching for the missing London teenager Alice Gross say the case is now a murder inquiry after finding a body in the river Brent. |
| Metropolitan Police commander Graham McNulty said on Wednesday morning “significant efforts” had been made to conceal the body. | Metropolitan Police commander Graham McNulty said on Wednesday morning “significant efforts” had been made to conceal the body. |
| Scotland Yard said they had informed the family of Alice, 14, about the development late on Tuesday. | Scotland Yard said they had informed the family of Alice, 14, about the development late on Tuesday. |
| In a statement on Wednesday morning McNulty said police had so far been unable to make a formal identification, but clearly the news was “devastating” for those involved in the search for Alice. | In a statement on Wednesday morning McNulty said police had so far been unable to make a formal identification, but clearly the news was “devastating” for those involved in the search for Alice. |
| “This is now a murder investigation and I need the public’s help to find whoever is responsible,” he said. | “This is now a murder investigation and I need the public’s help to find whoever is responsible,” he said. |
| “I would urge anyone who may know something to come forward. Even if you have not yet spoken out it is not too late to tell us what you know.” | |
| McNulty said his thoughts were with Alice’s family “at this difficult time” and he asked that the media respect their privacy. He also thanked the people of Ealing for their support and said the discovery would deeply affect the area. | McNulty said his thoughts were with Alice’s family “at this difficult time” and he asked that the media respect their privacy. He also thanked the people of Ealing for their support and said the discovery would deeply affect the area. |
| “You only need to walk around the surrounding streets to see the effectthat Alice’s disappearance has had on the whole community,” he said. | “You only need to walk around the surrounding streets to see the effectthat Alice’s disappearance has had on the whole community,” he said. |
| He asked for patience as work at the scene would go on for some time. | He asked for patience as work at the scene would go on for some time. |
| “It is crucial to ensure we capture all the available evidence allowing us to identify who is responsible for this dreadful crime,” he said. | “It is crucial to ensure we capture all the available evidence allowing us to identify who is responsible for this dreadful crime,” he said. |
| It has been a month since Alice failed to return home to her family, sparking the Metropolitan police’s biggest search operation since the 7/7 bombings. | It has been a month since Alice failed to return home to her family, sparking the Metropolitan police’s biggest search operation since the 7/7 bombings. |
| More than 300 officers from over a dozen police forces across the country have been involved in the search, which has even called on the assistance of the RAF who helped to identify possible new search sites. | More than 300 officers from over a dozen police forces across the country have been involved in the search, which has even called on the assistance of the RAF who helped to identify possible new search sites. |
| On Monday a stretch of the Grand Union canal, which Alice walked alongside before she disappeared, was sifted through in the hope to recover her possessions, including her iPhone, but officers again drew a blank. | On Monday a stretch of the Grand Union canal, which Alice walked alongside before she disappeared, was sifted through in the hope to recover her possessions, including her iPhone, but officers again drew a blank. |
| Alice was last captured on CCTV walking along the towpath next to the Grand Union Canal as it passes under Trumpers Way at 4.26pm on 28 August. | Alice was last captured on CCTV walking along the towpath next to the Grand Union Canal as it passes under Trumpers Way at 4.26pm on 28 August. |
| Convicted murderer Arnis Zalkalns, who was seen on CCTV cycling the same route behind the teenager remains the prime suspect in her disappearance. | Convicted murderer Arnis Zalkalns, who was seen on CCTV cycling the same route behind the teenager remains the prime suspect in her disappearance. |
| Police are urgently working with the authorities in his native Latvia to track down the labourer who was reported missing within days of Alice’s disappearance. | Police are urgently working with the authorities in his native Latvia to track down the labourer who was reported missing within days of Alice’s disappearance. |
| The force has come under fire for delays in identifying Zalkalns as a risk, and McNulty has admitted that British detectives would have no power to arrest him if he has fled abroad. | The force has come under fire for delays in identifying Zalkalns as a risk, and McNulty has admitted that British detectives would have no power to arrest him if he has fled abroad. |
| The general labourer, who worked at a building site in Isleworth, west London, is thought to have come to the UK in 2007, but authorities here have come under fire for apparently holding no record of his conviction for bludgeoning and stabbing his wife Rudite to death in Latvia. | The general labourer, who worked at a building site in Isleworth, west London, is thought to have come to the UK in 2007, but authorities here have come under fire for apparently holding no record of his conviction for bludgeoning and stabbing his wife Rudite to death in Latvia. |
| He is described as white, 5ft 10in and stocky, with dark brown hair that he normally wears tied in a ponytail. | He is described as white, 5ft 10in and stocky, with dark brown hair that he normally wears tied in a ponytail. |