Becky Watts
A 28-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman who were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of the kidnap of missing teenager Becky Watts from St George have this afternoon been further arrested on suspicion of her murder.
This morning, a district judge granted police a warrant of further detention which gives them another 36 hours to question the pair.
Det Supt Mike Courtiour said: “In the meantime, our search for Becky continues unabated. We are drawing upon all possible resources to help us.
“Additional officers from Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Devon & Cornwall and police dogs from South Wales Police have been drafted in and support from the police helicopter.
“Search and missing persons’ experts from the National Crime Agency, College of Policing and the National Missing Persons organisations continue to work with our inquiry team.
“We have extended our search parameters to include a house in Southmead and one in the Barton Hill area of Bristol. These are detailed, forensic searches which will take some time to complete.
“We continue to carry out both open land searches and detailed house-to-house inquiries in the local area.
“We have also conducted extensive CCTV enquiries and detailed analysis of traffic cameras in the area.
“I would appeal once again for anyone who may have any information on this case to come forward immediately. Someone out there might have vital information which could help us find Becky.
“This morning, we published an appeal for information from anyone who may have seen a black Vauxhall Zafira, registration number HY06 HYA, in the local area anytime between the morning of Thursday 19th February to Monday 23rd February.
“We have seized this car but we need the public’s help in us tracing where it might have been during those key days.
“I would also like to repeat our thanks to the local communities who have been supporting this investigation from the beginning. We have all been touched by the number of people who have offered their time to help with the search for Becky.
“I would ask that any public searches planned over the next few days are coordinated through us so we can dovetail these with our extensive search plan.
“We have also been impressed by the level of engagement we have had with our online drive to find Becky. The #FindBecky has reached thousands of people and the total reach for our social media campaign has now reached more than four million people worldwide.
“Becky’s family are understandably distraught and we are working closely with them to support them at this difficult time.
“Finally, I would like to repeat our plea for anyone who has any information regarding this investigation to contact us immediately.
“You can call us on 101, leave information anonymously with Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or use our online reporting tool on our website.”
