Vehicle seized and garden searched in Bute murder investigation
Police appeal for information after the murder of Alesha MacPhail
Last updated 4th Jul 2018
Islanders on Bute are also being advised to step up security for their homes and families until police catch the killer of Alesha MacPhail.
There was increased police activity at the property where Alesha had been staying on Wednesday morning.
More than a dozen officers entered the garden of the Ardbeg Road property with long sticks to search the gardens and bushes surrounding the building.
A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed a number of items, including a vehicle, have been recovered as part of the investigation.
The car is believed to have been removed by officers on Monday or Tuesday
6 year old Alesha was reported missing on Monday morning while staying with relatives in Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. Her body was later found in woodland by a member of the public.
Police Scotland confirmed they are treating her death as murder following the results of a post-mortem examination but have not specified how she died.
Area police commander, Chief Superintendent Hazel Hendren, said: "Our absolute priority is catching the person responsible for this horrendous act as quickly as possible.
"I understand that there will be a high level of concern among people living in this close-knit community, but I want to reassure people that everything possible is being done.
"Incidents such as this are extremely rare, but we are still in the early stages of this investigation and we would ask people to be vigilant about their children and also their household security.
"The island community needs to pull together at times like this and we need their help - anyone with any information, please come forward.''
Detectives are keen to speak to anyone involved in the search for Alesha, who was a pupil at Chapelside Primary School in Airdrie.
Detective Superintendent Stuart Houston said: "Alesha's family is utterly devastated and we are continuing to provide them with the support they require at this incredibly distressing time.
"Alesha had lots of friends who will no doubt find it very difficult to comprehend why they will never see their friend again.
"Like any other six-year-old, Alesha was looking forward to enjoying her holidays from primary school and was only a few days into a three-week summer break visiting relatives on the island.
"For such a young girl to have her life taken away is incomprehensible.''
He added: "I would like to reiterate that I am particularly interested in speaking to anyone who was involved in the search for Alesha. What did they see? Where did they search? Please let us know.
"Did you see anyone acting suspiciously in the vicinity of Ardbeg Road, where she was staying on Sunday evening, into the early hours of Monday morning or where her body was found? Please get in touch.''
Mr Houston told a media conference on Tuesday night: "We have officers supporting the family who are providing us with information and it's about trying to find if anyone else has been in Ardbeg Road from late Sunday evening to the early hours of Monday and may be able to shed that bit of light for us.''
Anyone with information is asked to call officers at the major investigations teams via 101, quoting incident no 0695 of 2 July 201