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| Leah Croucher: Police make specific appeal for information | Leah Croucher: Police make specific appeal for information |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Leah Croucher, 19, was last seen on CCTV on 15 February 2019 in Milton Keynes | Leah Croucher, 19, was last seen on CCTV on 15 February 2019 in Milton Keynes |
| Police investigating the murder of 19-year-old Leah Croucher have made a "specific" appeal for information about the area where human remains were found. | Police investigating the murder of 19-year-old Leah Croucher have made a "specific" appeal for information about the area where human remains were found. |
| They were discovered at a house on Loxbeare Drive in Furzton, Milton Keynes, Thames Valley Police said. | They were discovered at a house on Loxbeare Drive in Furzton, Milton Keynes, Thames Valley Police said. |
| It launched a murder investigation after her rucksack and personal items were found at the property. | It launched a murder investigation after her rucksack and personal items were found at the property. |
| The teenager was last seen on CCTV in the city on Friday, 15 February, 2019. | |
| Formal identification has not taken place but Ms Croucher's family were being kept informed, the force said. | |
| Police said on Wednesday that officers had been at the property since 18:30 BST on Monday after they received information from a member of the public. | |
| The force said that the telephone tip-off on Monday was the first time it had been alerted to this address. | |
| Police remain outside a house on Loxbeare Drive | |
| Det Ch Supt Ian Hunter said: "Throughout the course of the last three and a half years, we have made numerous appeals for information and we are grateful to those who have been able to assist. | |
| "But I am now making a renewed, and specific appeal, to anybody who believes that they may have been in the area of Loxbeare Drive on or around 15 February 2019 and has any information which may be relevant to please get in touch. | |
| "I appreciate the passage of time that has passed, but we remain hopeful that somebody may have a crucial piece of information particularly given this significant development today." | "I appreciate the passage of time that has passed, but we remain hopeful that somebody may have a crucial piece of information particularly given this significant development today." |
| He particularly called for anyone who might have CCTV footage from around the time of Ms Croucher's disappearance to come forward. | He particularly called for anyone who might have CCTV footage from around the time of Ms Croucher's disappearance to come forward. |
| "No matter how insignificant you believe any information you may have will be, please contact us. Your information could prove critical in this investigation," he said. | "No matter how insignificant you believe any information you may have will be, please contact us. Your information could prove critical in this investigation," he said. |
| He added that the force was committed to ensuring that their inquiries were "thorough and respectful" and as a result they could be at the scene "for some time". | He added that the force was committed to ensuring that their inquiries were "thorough and respectful" and as a result they could be at the scene "for some time". |
| "Our thoughts remain with Leah's family and friends at what is naturally a very distressing time for them," he said. | "Our thoughts remain with Leah's family and friends at what is naturally a very distressing time for them," he said. |
| Flowers have been left near to where the search is taking place | |
| At the scene: Jo Black, BBC News | |
| Police are now beginning their fourth day of searching this property. Today, like yesterday, some of the police officers entering the house are wearing forensic suits. | |
| A police tent and screen is still in the front garden and last night banging could be heard coming from the four-bedroom detached house. | |
| Although police have stressed it will take time to formally identify the human remains they've uncovered, members of the community have started to place flowers, candles and soft toys next to the police tape marking the cordon. | |
| The property is less than half a mile (0.8km) from where she was last seen in Buzzacott Lane, Furzton, walking in the direction of Loxbeare Drive and Chaffron Way. | |
| Since Ms Croucher's disappearance on her way to work at a finance company three years ago, police have carried out more than 4,000 house-to-house inquiries and reviewed 1,200 hours of CCTV footage. | |
| Thames Valley Police said detectives were likely to be at the scene "for some time" | |
| There was still a police cordon in place on Thursday | |
| Tara Maher, who lives nearby, said she saw Leah on the day she went missing, just after 08:00 GMT. | |
| She said she saw the teenager most days and they would exchange a nod or say "hello". | |
| Human remains found in missing teen murder probe | Human remains found in missing teen murder probe |
| The quiet teenager who vanished on her way to work | The quiet teenager who vanished on her way to work |
| Tara, who works at a local shop, said customers were usually jovial, but when the news came through yesterday "the whole mood changed". | |
| "It's usually a very lively, chatty shop and it just went very, very sombre," she said. | |
| "People are fearing the worst." | |
| About 30 bunches of flowers were left at the scene on Thursday morning, some with messages | |
| Loxbeare Drive runs south from the western tip of Furzton Lake in the south-west of the Buckinghamshire city | |
| Following the update on the investigation, Iain Stewart, Conservative MP for Milton Keynes South, said it was "extremely upsetting to learn of the developments" in the case. | |
| "I am in contact with Thames Valley Police about the situation, and will help them in any way I can," he said. | |
| "My thoughts and prayers will continue to be with Leah's loved ones at this difficult time." | |
| A police tent has been erected outside a house on Loxbeare Drive | |
| Forensics officers have been seen taking specialist equipment into the house | |
| Leah Croucher: A timeline | Leah Croucher: A timeline |
| CCTV footage showed the last confirmed sighting of Leah Croucher walking to work on the day she disappeared | CCTV footage showed the last confirmed sighting of Leah Croucher walking to work on the day she disappeared |
| 14 February 2019: Leah Croucher is last seen by her parents at the family home in Quantock Crescent, Milton Keynes at 22:00 GMT | 14 February 2019: Leah Croucher is last seen by her parents at the family home in Quantock Crescent, Milton Keynes at 22:00 GMT |
| 15 February 2019: CCTV footage showed her walking down Buzzacott Lane in Furzton at 08:16. She was thought to be going to her job at a finance company, but she never arrived | 15 February 2019: CCTV footage showed her walking down Buzzacott Lane in Furzton at 08:16. She was thought to be going to her job at a finance company, but she never arrived |
| April 2019: Thames Valley Police said three people had reported possible sightings of Leah near Furzton Lake between 09:30 and 11:15, on the day she went missing | April 2019: Thames Valley Police said three people had reported possible sightings of Leah near Furzton Lake between 09:30 and 11:15, on the day she went missing |
| October 2019: A two-week search by Thames Valley Police of a lake and surrounding area at the Blue Lagoon nature reserve in Bletchley finds nothing | October 2019: A two-week search by Thames Valley Police of a lake and surrounding area at the Blue Lagoon nature reserve in Bletchley finds nothing |
| February 2021: On the second anniversary of her disappearance, police said there had been "no significant leads" and the case was "bewildering and frustrating" | |
| October 2022: Police open a murder investigation after unidentified human remains and a rucksack and personal possessions belonging to Leah are found at a property on Loxbeare Drive in Furzton | |
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