Claudia Lawrence: Alleyway Search
Police investigating the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence are searching an alleyway next to where she lived.
Police investigating the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence are searching an alleyway next to where she lived.
Detectives are examining the area behind her home in York.
The chef went missing almost six years ago, and was last seen on the 18th March 2009, although police don’t know if something happened overnight.
Specialist search officers and a police dog are on Heworth Road.
Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, head of North Yorkshire Police's Major Crime Unit and the senior investigating officer in the Claudia Lawrence case, said: "The review remains very active and the team are currently working on a lead that may indicate the alleyway at the rear of Claudia's house is significant.
"We still don't know if Claudia left for work on the morning of Thursday 19th March 2009 or whether something happened overnight within her house. If the latter is the case the person or persons responsible, in my view, would have used the rear alleyway as the front door leads onto a busy main road. This is why this specific piece of information needs to be fully investigated.
"The activity today focuses on the alleyway with search trained officers and a dog. Officers will be conducting house-to-house enquiries in the vicinity to jog people's memories about any vehicular access to the alleyway and how frequently this was used by neighbours or other pedestrians. This includes contacting people who have since moved away from the area to assist the investigation. We are also checking again that no CCTV recording equipment in the neighbourhood has been overlooked.
"This remains one of several active enquiries at present that will be developed over the coming weeks and months.
"Together with Claudia's family, we remain absolutely determined to solve this case and bring those responsible for her disappearance and suspected murder to justice."