- .Police name Arnis Zalkalns, 41, as suspect in disappearance of Alice Gross
- .Officers revealed he served seven years in jail for murder in Latvia in 1998
- .Zalkalns was also quizzed over indecent assault of girl in London in 2009
- .Father-of one, who lives with his partner, has been missing for two weeks
- .Officers spent yesterday searching his home in Ealing, West London
- .He was last seen a week after 14-year-old Alice went missing on August 28
- .New CCTV shows Zalkalns cycling along canal where Alice was last seen
- .Police say he would have met the schoolgirl further up the towpath
Police investigating the disappearance of schoolgirl Alice Gross have named a missing Latvian builder as a suspect in the case.
Arnis Zalkalns, 41, has been named after forensic officers and sniffer dogs spent yesterday searching his house in Ealing, west London, where he lives with his partner and young daughter.
Investigators revealed that on the day Alice, 14, disappeared, Zalkalns was seen on CCTV cycling along Brentford Lock at 4pm, some fifteen minutes after Alice walked along the same route.
Detectives believe Zalkalns is likely to have come across Alice as they were both going in the same direction along the canal towpath.
It has also been revealed that Zalkalns served seven years in jail in his home country after being convicted of murder in 1998 and was questioned over an indecent assault in London in 2009.
Police have named Arnis Zalkalns, 41 (left), a Latvian builder, as a suspect in the disappearance of Alice Gross, 14. Officers have revealed that Zalkalns served seven years in prison in Latvia after being convicted of murder
Police say this CCTV footage shows Zalkalns cycling along the canal towpath in west London fifteen minutes after Alice passed the same spot
Officers say Zalkalns would have met Alice further up the path as they were heading in the same direction. Alice has not been seen since she passed this spot
He was was questioned over an attack a 14-year-old girl near his home in Ealing, but this was not pursued because the victim refused to give further evidence.
Detective superintendent Carl Mehta added that police have no evidence suggesting Alice has come to harm.
He added: '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.'
Mr Mehta said it was his understanding that UK authorities had no record of Zalkalns' murder conviction and had only been told about it in the 'last few days'.
Zalkalns, who works as a general labourer at a building site in Isleworth, west London, is thought to have come to the UK in 2007
He became a person of interest on September 12 after officers established that he cycled along Brentford Lock, but he had come to the notice of police before that, Mr Mehta said.
Zalkalns was last seen at his home on the evening of Wednesday, 3 September. Since then he has not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone.
Alice is seen walking along the canal towpath fifteen minutes ahead of Zalkalns. This was the last sighting of her before she disappeared
His passport was left at his house. His friends and family have told police that his disappearance is completely out of character and they are very concerned for him.
A reward of up to £20,000 is being offered for anyone who has information that leads detectives to find Alice.
Neighbours of Mr Zalkalns today told of their shock at finding he has a murder conviction.
One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: 'It’s shocking and absolutely disgusting. I didn’t know him, but I didn’t know anything about his convictions either.
'Why didn’t the police do anything about it, or look at him earlier? It’s even more shocking when there are the schools nearby as well.'
Just a two-minute walk down the road from Zalkalns’ house is Dunston House, a prep school for boys aged between four and 13, and Harvington Prep School for Girls, which teaches girls between three and 11 and boys aged three to four.
A female resident, who lives at the end of the street, said she walks past Zalkalns’ home on her way to Ealing Broadway tube station on most days.
Police forensics teams using sniffer dogs spent yesterday searching the home of Mr Zalkalns in Ealing, London, in connection with the disappearance of Alice Gross
Police say Mr Zalkalns was also questioned over the indecent assault of a girl in Ealing in 2009, but charges were dropped after the victim refused to give more evidence
Officers have named Zalkalns as a suspect a day after searching his home using sniffer dogs (pictured)
Officers are offering £20,000 for anyone with information that leads to the discovery of Alice
The woman, in her thirites, added: 'I have seen him coming out of the house with a pram a few times
when I walked past. This is a nice street. We’ve never had any trouble since we’ve lived here, so I am really shocked.'
when I walked past. This is a nice street. We’ve never had any trouble since we’ve lived here, so I am really shocked.'
Today two uniformed police officers were today guarding the front door of Zalkalns’s home, and a large silver police van was parked outside.
Mr Metha added: 'I want the public's help. On Thursday 28 August Arnis Zalkalns left work, in Isleworth, at about 3.30pm on his bike.
'Did you see him that afternoon? Either on his own, or with a teenage girl? I also need to hear from anyone who knew Arnis whom we have not yet spoken to.
'His family and work colleagues have stated he was behaving normally in both the days before and after Alice's disappearance. They are deeply concerned about his disappearance.
'Arnis has not been seen since Wednesday 3 September. I want anyone who may have seen him after that date, or who may have helped him by giving him money or somewhere to stay, to call and speak to us. It is really important that we trace Arnis and speak to him about Alice's disappearance.
'Three weeks ago today Alice left home as usual. She has not been seen since 4.26pm, when she walked along Trumpers Way.
'So far the public have given us great support, but there may still be people out there who were walking in the area Alice was on that Thursday who have not yet spoken to us.
Mr Zalkalns lived at the property (left) with his partner, Katerina Laiblova and their young child. Today she paid tribute to him, saying he is 'a loving man'
Officers were standing guard outside the property yesterday morning, but when asked if the house was being treated as a crime scene, they refused to comment
Mr Zalkalns was last seen on the evening of September 3. Neighbours today said that police have been outside the house for a week
'If you were and you saw anything that could help progress our investigation - please call.
'Alice used social networking sites, Facebook, Twitter and Ask.fm. I'm asking anyone who may have been talking to Alice on these sites in the run up to the day she disappeared to speak to us.'
So far the investigation has found no evidence to say that Alice and Arnis knew each other.
Alice was last seen at 4.26pm on August 28, when she was spotted on CCTV by the Grand Union Canal in west London. There have been no sightings of her since.
Mr Zalkalns disappeared seven days later. Yesterday neighbours said they were shocked to see police searching his home as they did not know he was missing.
One man, who asked not to be named, said: 'A police car was parked directly outside my house yesterday and I asked the officer what was happening and he said he wouldn’t tell me. So, I googled it and saw the news.
'I don’t know the man too well because I haven’t lived here too long myself. But I knew him to say hi to, and he seemed like a nice enough man.
'I would normally see him with a pram pushing his child. I think he had a young kid, probably aged one or two, but I’m not sure if it was a boy or a girl. He lives there with his partner and child.
Another resident, a woman who also asked not to be named, said: 'I don’t know the couple who live there but I had no idea that someone had gone missing, and I was shocked when I found out that they wanted to speak to him because he may have information about that poor girl.
Alice (pictured right with sister Nina left) has been missing for more than two weeks. She was last seen at 4.26pm on August 28, when she was spotted on CCTV by the Grand Union Canal in west London
'Heartbreaking': Rosalind Hodgkiss, mother of missing Alice Gross, spoke to Crimewatch ahead of an appeal
'Police have been here most of this week but they hadn’t said what was happening. I think they’ve probably been here since Monday and we’ve had a police van and cars coming and going.'
Scotland Yard previously described Zalkalns as white and 5ft 10ins, with a stocky build and dark brown hair which he normally tied in a ponytail.
Yesterday Rosalind Hodgkiss, Alice's mother, made a heartfelt appeal on Crimewatch for more information while urging her daughter to come home.
She said: 'The last two weeks have been completely heartbreaking. 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".
'And if anyone has any information at all about her movements on that day, or about her whereabouts now, I just really plead with them to come forward to the police and get her home, because that's where she belongs - she needs to be here with us.’
Route: Officers released a map (pictured) outlining Alice's last known journey. She left home (1) at 1pm on August 28 and her bag was later found on a towpath (2). Police still need to speak to five cyclists seen on CCTV passing the Trumpers Way Canal Bridge (3)
Detectives say Alice Gross, pictured, last used her iPhone to send a text to her father on the day she vanished. When her bag was found the phone was missing and officers think it could hold vital clues
Two men have previously been arrested on suspicion of murder by officers but both have been released without charges.
Alice's distinctive schoolbag was discovered along the towpath after she disappeared, but items such as her purse, money, and iPhone were missing.
Officers previously said her missing smartphone may hold ‘key’ information about her disappearance. The device last connected to the network at just after 5pm.
Police say they have no evidence that the anorexic schoolgirl was being bullied on social media but hoped finding her phone might uncover any secret communications she might have had.
He said her family has been left ‘devastated’ by her disappearance. Her parents Jose Gross and Rosalind Hodgkiss, and her sister Nina, have already recorded appeals for her to come home.
THE LAST KNOWN JOURNEY OF ALICE GROSS: A TIMELINE OF AUGUST 28
1pm: Alice leaves home on foot
1pm: The 14-year-old is seen on CCTV walking along Campbell Road, past Hanwell Station
1.02pm: Alice seen on CCTV walking along Golden Manor and then Alwyn Road
1.13pm: Alice is caught on CCTV walking along the river path in the direction of Hanwell Bridge
1.15pm: Alice is caught on CCTV walking along the Uxbridge Road
The last sighting of Alice Gross, pictured, was when she was captured on CCTV at 4.26pm on August 28 on Trumpers Way, the bridge that crosses the Grand Union Canal
1.26pm: CCTV footage shows her in Windmill Lane. She then followed the Grand Union Canal towpath until it reached the Thames, walking towards Kew
2.23pm: The teenager is seen on CCTV near the Holiday Inn, Commerce Road
3.45pm: Alice is caught on CCTV at Brentford Lock
3.56pm: Alice is caught on CCTV close to the GlaxoSmithKline building based in Great West Road
4.02pm: Alice is caught on CCTV opposite Transport Avenue
4.23pm: Three cyclists, followed by two cyclists, are caught on CCTV riding on the towpath under Trumpers Way, that crosses the Grand Union Canal
4.25pm: Alice is caught on CCTV walking in the same place
4.26pm: The last sighting of Alice that is captured on CCTV shows her on Trumpers Way, the bridge that crosses the Grand Union Canal. She was heading in the direction Hanwell
A police diver and support team carry out a search of a canal at Hanwell Lock in London earlier this month
Mr Chalmers said today: ‘Over two weeks ago now Alice left home, just as normal, and went for a walk. She has not been seen since.
‘The response so far from the public has been great, but as yet we have no confirmed sightings of Alice after 4.30pm that day.
‘I am really keen to trace Alice’s phone, which I know has not been used since late afternoon on the day she was last seen.
‘It is white iPhone 4S, with a distinctive cracked rear case that Alice had decorated with marker pen. If you saw, or currently have Alice’s phone please get in touch. Alice’s family are devastated.
'They think about her constantly. If you have any information that can help us bring Alice back to her family, no matter how small or trivial it may seem to you, please call us.’
Mr Chalmers previously said Alice had been going through a ‘difficult time’ and had been undergoing medical treatment for her anorexia but that there had been no family argument before she vanished.
Officers say there is no truth in speculation that a family disagreement had sparked Alice's disappearance
Posters: Alice, who was being treated for anorexia, was last seen on CCTV at around 4.30pm on August 28
Alice’s phone was last actively used to send a text message to her father shortly after 3pm on the day she disappeared.
Police believe that this text shows that at this stage she was planning to go home, but may have extended her walk to kill time waiting for him to return home at 6pm as she did not have a key.
Alice is white, 5ft 2ins tall, of very slim build and has shoulder-length, light brown hair. She was last seen wearing dark blue jeans and a dark green lacy cardigan and carrying the dark rucksack.
Appealing for people to think whether they saw Alice on the afternoon she disappeared, Mr Chalmers said she was ‘very identifiable’.
‘Alice was a very thin person, it would have stuck in people’s minds,’ he added.
Family: Alice's father, Jose Gross (left), Rosalind Hodgkiss (centre) and sister Nina Gross (right) are pictured
Missing: Alice is white, 5 ft 2ins tall and of very slim build with shoulder-length, light brown hair
Mr Chalmers also said a couple have come forward to tell police they saw Alice’s bag at around 8.15pm on the day she went missing.
They said they saw it on the footpath that runs besides the River Brent between Hanwell Bridge and the Grand Union Canal.
The spot is near to where some builders also said they spotted it the following day, but it was on the path rather than in the undergrowth. The bag was not found by police until September 2.
No comments:
Post a Comment