Monday 15 March 2021
Met Police statement on disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh
The
Metropolitan Police Service’s investigation into the disappearance and murder
of Suzy Lamplugh in Fulham is ongoing, and detectives remain committed to securing
justice for her family.
Suzy
Lamplugh was aged just 25 when she was reported missing on Monday the 28th of July 1986.
She was last seen at around 1pm.
Suzy
was working as an estate agent, and left her office to meet a prospective
client to view a flat, but she did not arrive back at her office. Her car, a
white Ford Fiesta, was later found abandoned in Stevenage Road.
Suzy
is presumed dead, and is believed to have been abducted and murdered. Her body
has never been found. More than 34 years have passed, and the police
investigation into Suzy’s disappearance is still active with detectives from
the Met’s Specialist Casework Team, part of Central Specialist Crime,
continuing to pursue leads.
In
2018 and 2019, officers completed two extensive searches with the support of a
team of forensic experts, one at a property in the West Midlands, and the
other on open land in Worcestershire, as part of the investigation. No
evidence was found.
In
August 2019 the Specialist Casework Team received further information. This
related to the sighting of man, who had apparently disposed a large bag in the
Grand Union Canal in July 1986. This was treated as a new line of enquiry, but
it was found that the part of the canal mentioned by the witness and the
surrounding canal stretches had been extensively searched by the Met’s Marine
Support Unit and London Fire Brigade Search Unit in September 2014. The 2014
search was conducted following an unrelated homicide investigation. During that
search, no items were recovered which were connected to the Suzy Lamplugh
investigation and the line of enquiry re the 1986 sighting was closed.
Detective
Chief Inspector Rebecca Reeves, the senior investigating officer, said: “We
would urge anyone who believes they might know something about what happened to
Suzy all those years ago to come forward. Whether you saw something that you
thought was unconnected at the time, or you felt under pressure to protect
someone you knew – it is not too late.
“The
passage of time has not weakened our determination to seek justice and get the
answers that the Lamplugh family continue to wait for. They have always been
supportive of our efforts to make progress in the investigation, and they have
shown remarkable strength despite the immense sadness they have endured over
the years.”
One
man was arrested in December 2000 and questioned, and a file was later
submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service. However, it was decided that there
was insufficient evidence to support a prosecution.
This
has been a significant case for the Met, both in terms of its length and
complexity, and because of the sense of tragedy of a young woman vanishing with
no apparent trace. This case has been the subject of a number of high-profile
media appeals, resulting in hundreds of pieces of information from members of
the public which have been carefully followed up by officers.
We
will continue to ensure that no stone is unturned, as we know that one piece of
information could provide the breakthrough for detectives. Today, we have the
benefit of being able to utilise cutting-edge forensic science and other
technology where needed, to find and analyse evidence. Officers will continue
to revisit forensic opportunities where viable. We will continue to assess any
new information.
If
you have information that could assist officers, call the Specialist Casework
Team on 020 7230 4294. Alternatively, call independent charity Crimestoppers on
0800 555 111 if you would prefer to remain anonymous. You will not be asked for
your name, and your call is not traced.
Please
click here if you have any information or images which may assist the
investigation : https://mipp.police.uk/operation/0101020101K03-PO1
posted by Radio Jackie News Team @ 4:23 pm