Leicester Murder Investigation: 12 Arrested as Police Excavate Ground at Property
Twelve individuals have been arrested in connection with a murder investigation in Leicester, as police undertake a significant operation involving digging up ground at a residential property. The activity is centred at an address on Broad Avenue in the Evington area of Leicester, with authorities warning it could persist for "days and weeks" to come.
Ongoing Police Activity and Arrests
Leicestershire Police launched a planned operation this morning, resulting in the arrest of eight men and three women on suspicion of murder. The men are aged 61, 43, 34, 33, 23, 21, and two aged 25, while the women are 34, 29, and 23 years old. Additionally, a 50-year-old man has been detained on suspicion of assisting an offender. All those arrested remain in police custody as the investigation unfolds.
The police have indicated that "significant" activity will continue at the Broad Avenue address, involving specially trained search officers, building machinery, and crime scene investigators. This includes digging into the ground at the property as part of a thorough search to determine the circumstances of the case.
Expanded Investigation Across Evington
In addition to the Broad Avenue location, Leicestershire Police are conducting related investigations at two other addresses in Evington: one on Gwendolen Road and another on Falmouth Road. This multi-site approach underscores the scale and complexity of the murder probe, with officers working to gather evidence and piece together events.
Senior Investigating Officer, DI Michael Chandler from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, emphasised the importance of community cooperation. "This police activity is very much to help us in determining what has happened," he stated. "There will be officers working at the address and uniformed officers at the cordon - please do speak to them about any concerns or any questions that you have."
Appeal for Information and Caution Against Speculation
DI Chandler urged the public to provide any relevant information that could assist the investigation, while also cautioning against the spread of misinformation. "Please also speak to us if you believe you have any information which you think could help us," he said. "We would also ask our communities to avoid the sharing of misinformation and speculation and to only share information which is known to be true."
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the police by calling 101 and quoting incident number 221 of February 9. The ongoing operation highlights the intensive efforts by law enforcement to resolve this serious crime, with the community's support being pivotal to the investigation's progress.
