Police dig at property as multiple people arrested in murder probe

Detectives have named a 60-year-old man, Gary Piatek, whose disappearance has prompted the arrest of 11 individuals on suspicion of murder.

Nine of the suspects, detained on Tuesday, remain in police custody, Leicestershire Police confirmed in a statement issued on Thursday.

A detailed search operation, utilising building machinery and digging teams, is currently under way at a property in Leicester as part of the ongoing inquiry into Mr Piatek's whereabouts.

The statement added: “Enquiries have determined that Mr Piatek was last seen in April 2024. There has been no proof of life of him since then.

“Specialist support is being provided to a number of his close friends.”

As part of the investigation, a detailed search is being carried out at an address in Broad Avenue in Evington.

Mapped: Broad Avenue in Evington.

A significant amount of police activity will take place at this address over the coming days and weeks, including specially trained search officers, building machinery and crime scene investigators, police said.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Michael Chandler, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: “We are continuing to establish the full circumstances of what has happened to Mr Piatek and as part of our ongoing enquiries, I am appealing to anyone who has any information in relation to him or in relation to what has happened to him to make contact with us.

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“I will take this opportunity again to reiterate that this is not a Counter Terrorism policing operation and there is no connection to Counter Terrorism.”

Six men aged 61, 43, 34, 33, 25 and 21, and two women aged 34 and 29, who were arrested on suspicion of murder remain in custody.

A ninth person, a 50-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and also remains in police custody.

Two men, aged 25 and 23, arrested on suspicion of murder have been released under investigation while inquiries continue.

A 23-year-old woman arrested for the same offence has been released from custody with no further action to be taken.