Found Deceased UK - Leah Croucher, 19, Emerson Valley, Milton Keynes, 14 Feb 2019 #4

[dotr]

WELCOME to Ws all new members!!

News to me...
February 21st, 2021 rbbm.
Police say viral photo of woman who asked a stranger to take her picture is not Leah Croucher
''The photo of a woman in Manchester, who wanted to let her mum know she is ok, is not Leah Croucher according to Thames Valley Police.

The photo has since gone viral and members of the public have contacted Thames Valley Police in the belief that the woman in the photo is Leah Croucher.

However, the police have said today that the woman in the photo is not Leah and that they are still looking for her. ''

"However, we would like to thank the public and are grateful for their continued reports regarding this investigation. Each report received is assessed and investigated accordingly.

"The investigation into finding Leah Croucher remains open, and anyone who has information that could lead to the force locating her is asked to contact 101 quoting reference number 43190049929, or Operation Dawlish."

 

[LINEOFDUTY]

Hi @LINEOF DUTY and welcome to Websleuths. It's great to see a local commenting on this case.

A couple of things i'd like to ask you.

1. On the routes you walked is there much CCTV coverage? The police seemed surprised that the only footage of Leah was at Buzzacott Lane around 8.15 am and then nothing after this. Also, in your opinion, which is the route you think Leah would have took that morning?

2. Again on the subject of CCTV, is there much coverage around Furzton Lake? Is there a camera at the Premier Inn that covers the path around the lake? Is there much CCTV from businesses or houses that overlook the lake?

TIA.

Hi thanks for being the first to take an interest in my first post.
My view on the route needs a bit more refinement re where Lea was spotted, and how reliable that sighting was, near TellyTubbyHill. If as i mentioned it was nearer the childrens play area which is around 40 yards North of TTH, then my view would be she walked down this RedRoute towards the Pavilion Car Park. From there walking further she would be near the Watling street car park which is much more secluded and has quick access to a fast road, Watling street. Those two parks are my best bet at the moment but only because of the TTH sighting.
If you walked to Davy Avenue for some years you would never want to walk a long route and Lea would have found all the quick and interesting walks.
There are very few cameras on houses in the Furzton area especially on these routes. I spotted one on a different route but its clear Lea did not go on that route on the 15th. In any case by now all will have been overwritten. Rather like Alarms some may also be dummies.
As someone else reported there are lots of cameras up high on the hotel but they seem to be aimed downwards to capture activity close to the hotel rather than in the Car Park but again, unless they were viewed by the LE they will now have been overwritten.
Can you advise why the system is telling me my one photo is too big for the server. I have compress it but it will not load and is important to understand what I have written. Many thanks

 

[WiseOwl]

Hi thanks for being the first to take an interest in my first post.
My view on the route needs a bit more refinement re where Lea was spotted, and how reliable that sighting was, near TellyTubbyHill. If as i mentioned it was nearer the childrens play area which is around 40 yards North of TTH, then my view would be she walked down this RedRoute towards the Pavilion Car Park. From there walking further she would be near the Watling street car park which is much more secluded and has quick access to a fast road, Watling street. Those two parks are my best bet at the moment but only because of the TTH sighting.
If you walked to Davy Avenue for some years you would never want to walk a long route and Lea would have found all the quick and interesting walks.
There are very few cameras on houses in the Furzton area especially on these routes. I spotted one on a different route but its clear Lea did not go on that route on the 15th. In any case by now all will have been overwritten. Rather like Alarms some may also be dummies.
As someone else reported there are lots of cameras up high on the hotel but they seem to be aimed downwards to capture activity close to the hotel rather than in the Car Park but again, unless they were viewed by the LE they will now have been overwritten.
Can you advise why the system is telling me my one photo is too big for the server. I have compress it but it will not load and is important to understand what I have written. Many thanks

Hi - I don't know is the simple answer but maybe this will help (taken from the FAQ'S Section):

How do I add a photo to a post?

• First, cite your source, and make sure it is an allowed source!
• If you have a web address (URL) for the image, you can click the "Image" button in the reply box and paste the URL in.
• If you have an image on your computer:
  • Drag and drop a photo from your desktop OR
  • Under the reply box, click the button "Upload a file"
  • Navigate to the file and click "Open"
  • Wait for file to upload
  • The file will display as an attachment at the bottom of your post. If you would prefer to embed a thumbnail of the image into your post, click the button "Thumbnail" under the uploaded file.

If this doesn't help then maybe you can private message SillyBilly the site administrator who should be able to help you. Or maybe one of our technically-gifted poster's if they're reading this!

 

[tedtink]

Police investigating potential new sightings of missing Milton Keynes woman Leah Croucher

"Some reported potential sightings of missing Leah while others gave police information they thought might be relevant to the enquiry."

Police investigating potential new sightings of missing Milton Keynes woman Leah Croucher

 

[Spiderplant]

Police investigating potential new sightings of missing Milton Keynes woman Leah Croucher

"Some reported potential sightings of missing Leah while others gave police information they thought might be relevant to the enquiry."

Police investigating potential new sightings of missing Milton Keynes woman Leah Croucher

what’s. Shame that the article doesn’t really give hope to any of those 15 calls and with the statement from TVP regarding the photo circulating online confirmed as not Leah.

Let’s hope something comes through which police release as possible avenues- and request public info until that happens I think it’s all old info recirculating.

 

[LINEOFDUTY]

Furzton Map

 

[Alyce]

Source?

Mrs Croucher and her husband John believe Leah could have been deceiving them, and said they believed she had secretly stayed the night with him at a local Travelodge.

On Saturday February 3, 12 days before Leah disappeared, she announced she was going to book a hotel room and have a girlie night with two female friends, drinking alcohol and gossiping

Leah's dad dropped her at the Jury's Inn at Central Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire and waved goodbye as she walked off.

It was only much later, when her bank statement arrived some time after Leah's disappearance, that the Crouchers realised their daughter had lied to them.

The mother continued: 'Her statement showed she had booked a room at the cheaper hotel nearby - the Travelodge.
We checked with her friends, of course, and they said they hadn't been with her that night.

'We believe she was with X, but did not want to tell us.'

Missing Leah Croucher, 19, was having affair with engaged man, family reveal | Daily Mail Online


NB Saturday was February 2 - msm reports continually quote the date incorrectly as Feb 3

 

[LINEOFDUTY]

I am glad I finally got my Furzton Lake Map onto the website. thanks to WiseOwl.
I hope reading my submission while looking at the MAP will help understand some of the witness and potential abduction areas.

As for all the various ideas, there is a huge difference between being confident you know who did it and when, and having the actual evidence to prove it. Arresting people who are then released for lack of evidence can destroy a persons life IF that person is innocent. So unless Lea is found, hard evidence, reliable witnesses or whistleblowers are needed. Then the direction of the case can move forward.
What can we suggest will move the case forward?
Its late in the day but I would like to see Police put notices along the route where she disappeared so that regular users of that route might come forward. There are hundreds of "Have you seen Lea" posters around Milton Keynes but none that are specific to the route Police now say she used.
So signs that say "If you walk this route between 8 and 8,30 each day cast your mind back to 15th February 2019. The fairground was just being dismantled. During this time a young women Lea Croucher disappeared. Did you witness...etc etc on the route or the nearby car parks"...That sort of thing is needed and might have brought better results if it had been done a few days after the disappearance. The sign could also mention the £10,000 reward.

 

[Skigh]

I am glad I finally got my Furzton Lake Map onto the website. thanks to WiseOwl.
I hope reading my submission while looking at the MAP will help understand some of the witness and potential abduction areas.

As for all the various ideas, there is a huge difference between being confident you know who did it and when, and having the actual evidence to prove it. Arresting people who are then released for lack of evidence can destroy a persons life IF that person is innocent. So unless Lea is found, hard evidence, reliable witnesses or whistleblowers are needed. Then the direction of the case can move forward.
What can we suggest will move the case forward?
Its late in the day but I would like to see Police put notices along the route where she disappeared so that regular users of that route might come forward. There are hundreds of "Have you seen Lea" posters around Milton Keynes but none that are specific to the route Police now say she used.
So signs that say "If you walk this route between 8 and 8,30 each day cast your mind back to 15th February 2019. The fairground was just being dismantled. During this time a young women Lea Croucher disappeared. Did you witness...etc etc on the route or the nearby car parks"...That sort of thing is needed and might have brought better results if it had been done a few days after the disappearance. The sign could also mention the £10,000 reward.

Thank you for posting your map. Just wanted to point out that her name is Leah. You have been spelling it without the h.

 

[LINEOFDUTY]

Thank you for posting your map. Just wanted to point out that her name is Leah. You have been spelling it without the h.

Sorry about that. I should certainly know better.

 

[HollyHunter9]

Hello new WS members! Ive only just had a chance to catch up and read the new posts. Thank you for the local info and map, it certainly helps to try build up a picture of the area/route Leah walked. Do any of you locals think there is anyway Leah could have been in some bizarre/freak accident on the way to work? Any drains/ditches she could have fallen into and not yet been found?

 

[LINEOFDUTY]

Hi, HollyHunter, and thanks for your ongoing interest and help.
These are good questions.
The area is so very busy that if she had been involved in a car type accident crossing a road she would certainly have been seen. And unless it was a deliberate act that involved taking her away there would have been some evidence of the incident.
There are two areas identified for a very quick action by someone that would not require asking Leah to move away from walking.
I have not mentioned these because I am certain the LE would have looked at them in detail with the Search and rescue units.
And they are still in areas where lots of people walk each day.
One is at the very start of the long bridge at the NorthEast corner, thats the Pavilion End. This is on the side where a river runs out of the Lake. There is a drop down into rough ground here. The other is at the South West corner right by the inlet to the Lake. That is where she would walk off of Loxbeare Drive onto the footpath that initially runs along the side of Bilbrook Lane and leads towards the Hotel. On one side there are bushes and handrails, over which a drop down into deep water at the Lake inlet.
But there is a local bus stop within 50 yards of this spot so far from ideal.
I don't know of any other dangerous areas. Area used every day rain, snow or shine by locals with children so any ditches etc no longer exist. My point raised by many, is if you were going to abduct her, why not wait until she was walking home after work. On the 15th February it was dark here at 5,15pm. That tends to show she had agreed to meet on one of her routes to work and things got out of hand. OMO.

 

[HollyHunter9]

Hi, HollyHunter, and thanks for your ongoing interest and help.
These are good questions.
The area is so very busy that if she had been involved in a car type accident crossing a road she would certainly have been seen. And unless it was a deliberate act that involved taking her away there would have been some evidence of the incident.
There are two areas identified for a very quick action by someone that would not require asking Leah to move away from walking.
I have not mentioned these because I am certain the LE would have looked at them in detail with the Search and rescue units.
And they are still in areas where lots of people walk each day.
One is at the very start of the long bridge at the NorthEast corner, thats the Pavilion End. This is on the side where a river runs out of the Lake. There is a drop down into rough ground here. The other is at the South West corner right by the inlet to the Lake. That is where she would walk off of Loxbeare Drive onto the footpath that initially runs along the side of Bilbrook Lane and leads towards the Hotel. On one side there are bushes and handrails, over which a drop down into deep water at the Lake inlet.
But there is a local bus stop within 50 yards of this spot so far from ideal.
I don't know of any other dangerous areas. Area used every day rain, snow or shine by locals with children so any ditches etc no longer exist. My point raised by many, is if you were going to abduct her, why not wait until she was walking home after work. On the 15th February it was dark here at 5,15pm. That tends to show she had agreed to meet on one of her routes to work and things got out of hand. OMO.

Hi and thank you for such an in depth reply. It really is a puzzling case. I just wondered if perhaps she'd had some strange accident along the way and just had not been found yet but if LE have searched these areas I'm sure she would have been found by now. I don't think she committed suicide IMO. I know the lake was extensively searched but could there be a chance she fell in accidentally and is tangled up somewhere?

Or like you say did she arrange to meet someone she knows along the way? If she'd been abducted I'm sure someone would have heard screams or witnessed something.

 

[WiseOwl]

Hi, HollyHunter, and thanks for your ongoing interest and help.
These are good questions.
The area is so very busy that if she had been involved in a car type accident crossing a road she would certainly have been seen. And unless it was a deliberate act that involved taking her away there would have been some evidence of the incident.
There are two areas identified for a very quick action by someone that would not require asking Leah to move away from walking.
I have not mentioned these because I am certain the LE would have looked at them in detail with the Search and rescue units.
And they are still in areas where lots of people walk each day.
One is at the very start of the long bridge at the NorthEast corner, thats the Pavilion End. This is on the side where a river runs out of the Lake. There is a drop down into rough ground here. The other is at the South West corner right by the inlet to the Lake. That is where she would walk off of Loxbeare Drive onto the footpath that initially runs along the side of Bilbrook Lane and leads towards the Hotel. On one side there are bushes and handrails, over which a drop down into deep water at the Lake inlet.
But there is a local bus stop within 50 yards of this spot so far from ideal.
I don't know of any other dangerous areas. Area used every day rain, snow or shine by locals with children so any ditches etc no longer exist. My point raised by many, is if you were going to abduct her, why not wait until she was walking home after work. On the 15th February it was dark here at 5,15pm. That tends to show she had agreed to meet on one of her routes to work and things got out of hand. OMO.

Thanks for downloading your map @LINEOFDUTY - very useful.

On the point of the possible abduction of Leah and why it wasn't done after work when it was dark - 2 theories, both involving Leah's mysterious 75 minutes on the evening of the 14 February 2019 and both involving 'X' and the alleged relationship between the two :

1. Leah found out that evening about 'X's upcoming marriage and that it was finally over between the two of them. She threatened to blow the gaff on him and tell her family, his family and work colleagues about their relationship. 'X' would be fretting over this news getting out, especially to his family. He had to act fast to stop it - so with help from family or friends arranged for someone he knew to 'accidentally' bump into Leah the following morning, offering her a lift in their car to work and then spiriting Leah away.

2. Leah found out she was pregnant and went out that evening to tell 'X'. Like scenario 1 he would have to act fast, again arranging for someone to meet Leah the following morning and take her away.

That's why I think the reason is Leah wasn't abducted in the dark, 'X' simply didn't have time to wait because of what happened on the evening of the 14th.

All MOO of course!

 

[WiseOwl]

Hi and thank you for such an in depth reply. It really is a puzzling case. I just wondered if perhaps she'd had some strange accident along the way and just had not been found yet but if LE have searched these areas I'm sure she would have been found by now. I don't think she committed suicide IMO. I know the lake was extensively searched but could there be a chance she fell in accidentally and is tangled up somewhere?

Or like you say did she arrange to meet someone she knows along the way? If she'd been abducted I'm sure someone would have heard screams or witnessed something.

Unless she was abducted by someone she knew? Someone who pulled up to her in a car and said 'jump in Leah, I'll give you a lift the rest of the way to your work - I'm heading that way' or something like that. This would explain any lack of screams or a struggle that morning which, as you say, would result in some witnesses seeing or hearing this.

 

[Atoz]

Thanks for downloading your map @LINEOFDUTY - very useful.

On the point of the possible abduction of Leah and why it wasn't done after work when it was dark - 2 theories, both involving Leah's mysterious 75 minutes on the evening of the 14 February 2019 and both involving 'X' and the alleged relationship between the two :

1. Leah found out that evening about 'X's upcoming marriage and that it was finally over between the two of them. She threatened to blow the gaff on him and tell her family, his family and work colleagues about their relationship. 'X' would be fretting over this news getting out, especially to his family. He had to act fast to stop it - so with help from family or friends arranged for someone he knew to 'accidentally' bump into Leah the following morning, offering her a lift in their car to work and then spiriting Leah away.

2. Leah found out she was pregnant and went out that evening to tell 'X'. Like scenario 1 he would have to act fast, again arranging for someone to meet Leah the following morning and take her away.

That's why I think the reason is Leah wasn't abducted in the dark, 'X' simply didn't have time to wait because of what happened on the evening of the 14th.

All MOO of course!

This is pretty much what I believe too.

 

[HollyHunter9]

Unless she was abducted by someone she knew? Someone who pulled up to her in a car and said 'jump in Leah, I'll give you a lift the rest of the way to your work - I'm heading that way' or something like that. This would explain any lack of screams or a struggle that morning which, as you say, would result in some witnesses seeing or hearing this.

Yes that's a really good point. That time of the morning people are usually distracted, rushing to work, doing the school run so if a girl was seen to be getting into a car with someone she knew, no struggle etc. and anyone did witness it they probably didn't take much notice to remember it.

 

[Jenesaisquoi]

Presumably not the vehicle of a family member eg HC as I assume the police would have checked footage of that already.

 

[WiseOwl]

Presumably not the vehicle of a family member eg HC as I assume the police would have checked footage of that already.

But would they? The police have always seemingly gone down the route that Leah disappeared of her own accord (in DCI Howard's opinion). At the time they probably checked for any sightings of Leah on CCTV but would they have thought of viewing footage from any possible vehicles in the area that Leah might have got into? Any of her families vehicles, 'X's family vehicles, work colleagues, etc? I'm not so sure that they would.

 

[NorthernSoul]

But would they? The police have always seemingly gone down the route that Leah disappeared of her own accord (in DCI Howard's opinion). At the time they probably checked for any sightings of Leah on CCTV but would they have thought of viewing footage from any possible vehicles in the area that Leah might have got into? Any of her families vehicles, 'X's family vehicles, work colleagues, etc? I'm not so sure that they would.

I have been thinking along these lines as well. I've been trying to puzzle out in my mind a series of events that could explain the limited facts we know and the statements the police have made. Here's my idea of a possible scenario - please feel free to pick it apart - I'm just setting it out to try to think it through.

The police have said Mr. X is not currently a suspect. An officer speaking about the case (who will have seen a lot more info than we have) said that he believes Leah has run away. He described there being a situation of "unrequited love" and that Leah had anxiety about going to work and other anxieties. We know Leah could not have told him anything about this unrequited love and Leah's parents certainly did not seem to see it like that; they believed Leah was secretly having an affair with Mr. X. So I think it is likely that this is what Mr. X has told them and that they believe him. So, from this information and Leah's movements, what if something like this happened? The following is my conjecture with facts we know slotted in:

Mr. X enjoyed flirting in the office. He may have flirted with a number of people. He flirted with Leah but Leah being young and possibly naive took this very seriously and became besotted with him. Mr. X realised this and saw an opportunity. He arranged with Leah to meet in a hotel (and possibly had met previously). For him this meant nothing but Leah took this seriously and thought it meant the start of a relationship. Mr. X quickly realised he was getting into a sticky situation and so told Leah there was no relationship. Leah became upset and this is when she became anxious about going in to work. Around this time her brother Hayden began angrily messaging Mr. X as he did not like to see his sister being used. Leah continued to message Mr. X and did not accept that they were not in a relationship. Mr. X replied but only as "a friend" as he has stated, trying to cool the situation down and not wanting a situation to develop where his fiancee and family could get wind of it.
Leah decided to give Mr. X a Valentine's gift and took him something in to work. At this Mr. X told Leah firmly that there was no relationship and this upset her very much. Leah could not talk to her parents about her feelings as she knew they did not want her to associate with Mr. X. She could not face going in to work any more. She decided to run away. On the night she went out for 75 minutes she went and bought a phone to replace her current phone and at the same time turned off location on the old phone ready for the next day where she would make everyone think she was going to work as normal but then would leave. She didn't eat a meal with her family as she usually would as she was planning what she was going to do and did not want to sit with them. Although her parents said she was behaving normally this was not normal. Someone had agreed to help Leah. Not Mr. X. someone with a car, a friend, possibly someone who knew about problems at home and work and how upset Leah was. She set off, following her normal routine and had arranged to be picked up from one of the car parks at the pond. She went to wait for her pick-up and while she was there she phoned Mr. X to tell him what she planned to do and they argued on the phone or maybe the friend was late and it was them she was speaking to. She became very upset. This is when she was seen by witnesses. She was then picked up in a car and left the area.

All MOO !