UK UK - Claudia Lawrence, 35, Chef, York University, 18 March 2009 #16

[vekoma]

It’s not far and you can get a car all the way up to the fishing lakes around there- you aren’t supposed to- but easily could.

if you follow the bridleway from sandhutton road into the forestry, and then come out at that 3 way junction onto the gravel drive there is actually a cctv camera to the last tree on your right. It’s one of those mini green coloured ones, bird watchers use.

I’ve only been aware of it’s presence the last 18 months but if it’s been there longer perhaps it might be helpful?

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

Websleuths is fact based. Rumors and psychic discussion are not allowed at Websleuths.

 

[catchingdelivery]

Det Supt Wayne Fox said: “I thank the public for the positive responses and new information received in support of the current phase of the investigation.

Mr Fox did not say what information prompted the latest search – in fishing lakes eight miles from Claudia’s home – more than 12 years after she vanished.

But in March, on the anniversary of her disappearance, he said: “We continue to receive information from a variety of sources.

Some of this can be discounted because of inquiries we’ve already made. But at other times we receive information, sometimes anonymously, that appears extremely interesting and sparks full new lines of investigation.”
Mirror newspaper Link

This possibly suggests whoever gave them a tip off did so anonymously. Hopefully, like other posters have said, it's a legitimate tip off and Police have been given enough to deem that it won't be a waste of their time and resources.

The article also states divers were pumping water from the smaller gravel pit/lake, with 3 officers wading around and watching a monitor screen. It also mentions officers are searching the woodland where the red tape sections are.

 

[catchingdelivery]

I've just been re-reading that article I posted above and it says Det. Supt. Fox said the bit about receiving information anonymously back in March, so surely if they'd had this specific tip back in March, something would have happened sooner. Or maybe they needed to investigate further to verify how legitimate and relevant it was. Who knows. Without being privy to the insider info that Police have it's like fumbling around in the dark
I really hope something comes of this. The person/s responsible and anyone else involved deserve to be held accountable. Can't imagine how frustrating it is for the detectives who 'know' who's responsible but just haven't quite got that piece of evidence the CPS want in order to authorise a charge. Then there's Claudia's family and genuine friends, I can't imagine how painful it is for them knowing the people who were close to Claudia are covering up what they know. It must be like torture knowing they could solve it in an instant if only they'd just come clean.

 

[keep-it-real]

Det Supt Wayne Fox said: “I thank the public for the positive responses and new information received in support of the current phase of the investigation.

Mr Fox did not say what information prompted the latest search – in fishing lakes eight miles from Claudia’s home – more than 12 years after she vanished.

But in March, on the anniversary of her disappearance, he said: “We continue to receive information from a variety of sources.

I noted back in March he said 'New Lines of Enquiry'.. If they had to move away from their original theory the new information received would have come under close investigation before deciding to take that direction.

Some of this can be discounted because of inquiries we’ve already made. But at other times we receive information, sometimes anonymously, that appears extremely interesting and sparks full new lines of investigation.”
Mirror newspaper Link

This possibly suggests whoever gave them a tip off did so anonymously. Hopefully, like other posters have said, it's a legitimate tip off and Police have been given enough to deem that it won't be a waste of their time and resources.

The article also states divers were pumping water from the smaller gravel pit/lake, with 3 officers wading around and watching a monitor screen. It also mentions officers are searching the woodland where the red tape sections are.

 

[Popejohn3]

I've just been re-reading that article I posted above and it says Det. Supt. Fox said the bit about receiving information anonymously back in March, so surely if they'd had this specific tip back in March, something would have happened sooner. Or maybe they needed to investigate further to verify how legitimate and relevant it was. Who knows. Without being privy to the insider info that Police have it's like fumbling around in the dark
I really hope something comes of this. The person/s responsible and anyone else involved deserve to be held accountable. Can't imagine how frustrating it is for the detectives who 'know' who's responsible but just haven't quite got that piece of evidence the CPS want in order to authorise a charge. Then there's Claudia's family and genuine friends, I can't imagine how painful it is for them knowing the people who were close to Claudia are covering up what they know. It must be like torture knowing they could solve it in an instant if only they'd just come clean.

Back in March … Covid played a big part in delaying certain police action !

 

[crander]

just seen this online.... ....Detectives looking for Claudia Lawrence began searching in gravel pits and a fishing lake following an environmental survey commissioned by church landowners....suggests this weeks events indeed triggered by something in the environmental survey rather than a tip off

 

[shadwell]

Daily Mail latest: Police began gravel pits search for missing Claudia Lawrence after church ground survey | Daily Mail Online

A few photos and videos of brushcutter and broom handle action, plus pumps running in the smaller lake.

 

[crander]

"the area in Sand Hutton, eight miles from the missing chef's York home, was the subject of an investigation of terrain and surroundings around two years ago.

Its results are understood to have been passed to relevant authorities and this week police search teams arrived at the site unannounced".

 

[Novosti]

Interesting. Also notable how complicated the land ownership of this area appears to be - the church, an anglers' association, a farm and a biogas plant all appear to have pieces of the relevant land. Maybe a Land Registry inquiry can clear that up?

"after" is one of those rubbery words! It gives the impression the environmental survey triggered the search, but strictly just means it happened later.

Daily Mail latest: Police began gravel pits search for missing Claudia Lawrence after church ground survey | Daily Mail Online

A few photos and videos of brushcutter and broom handle action, plus pumps running in the smaller lake.

 

[Pinkizzy]

Interesting. Also notable how complicated the land ownership of this area appears to be - the church, an anglers' association, a farm and a biogas plant all appear to have pieces of the relevant land. Maybe a Land Registry inquiry can clear that up?

"after" is one of those rubbery words! It gives the impression the environmental survey triggered the search, but strictly just means it happened later.

The church may own the land but sublet it to the farm, biogas company and the anglers

 

[keep-it-real]

just seen this online.... ....Detectives looking for Claudia Lawrence began searching in gravel pits and a fishing lake following an environmental survey commissioned by church landowners....suggests this weeks events indeed triggered by something in the environmental survey rather than a tip off

I thought they would have to have had an enviromental survey as a standard proceedure before they could search the ponds or disturb any of the vegetation. You have to have have enviomental surveys whenever you commence work building sites. Basically its for the identification presence and preservation of any protected wildlife or plants in the area.

 

[Pinkizzy]

The church may own the land but sublet it to the farm, biogas company and the anglers

The biogas company is on the left with the two round things, opposite the science park

 

[Sarahaddison14]

Drone footage shows area where Claudia Lawrence search is centred on

 

[keef]

I'm sorely disappointed that the indications are this activity was initiated merely by atypical results from a standard ground survey carried out by the landowners some time ago. I had hoped there'd been a real & immediate breakthrough in the investigation but to me this smacks of desperation. I now no longer expect any progression in Claudia's case to arise from this work - but I do appreciate the professionalism of those involved & it's reassuring to know that her case still warrants such great effort.

 

[MrsWatson]

Claudia Lawrence: Missing chef search prompts new information

From the article:

The force has not revealed what led officers to the location but said it was one of "several active lines of inquiry" being followed in the case.

 

[tulip182]

I'm sorely disappointed that the indications are this activity was initiated merely by atypical results from a standard ground survey carried out by the landowners some time ago. I had hoped there'd been a real & immediate breakthrough in the investigation but to me this smacks of desperation. I now no longer expect any progression in Claudia's case to arise from this work - but I do appreciate the professionalism of those involved & it's reassuring to know that her case still warrants such great effort.

Could these results possibly have been linked to a POI i.e if they were familiar with the area and used the fishing ponds or had a business nearby? Surely they wouldn’t just search it without having some kind of indication that it would be worthwhile

 

[Novosti]

Seems likely they had something fairly substantive to go on. I'd guess that the decision to deploy was taken at a very high level within the force, given the resourcing and reputational implications for the force as a whole. Chief officers would need to weigh the prospects of success with the costs and handling issues involved in drawing another blank on this case. Senior careers (above chief super) will be affected by this either way.

That said having decided to go ahead, it is right to manage it in a very high profile and threatening way, in order to rattle the cages of suspects and key witnesses. Some of that might be a bluff, but as with all good bluffs, the opponents can't establish that accurately. It also makes sense to finish the job - for weeks if needed.

Could these results possibly have been linked to a POI i.e if they were familiar with the area and used the fishing ponds or had a business nearby? Surely they wouldn’t just search it without having some kind of indication that it would be worthwhile

 

[shadwell]

No new updates from Yorskhire Live today.

FWIW - I had a look at historical satellite images on Google Earth - the trough is not present in May 2007 - next Google Earth satellite image is April 2015, which shows the outline of the trough, but it looks to be overgrown by this point. We already know from Streetview that the trough was present in April 2011.

The biogas plant appears between July 2015 and August 2016, built partly on a cow field and partly over what appears to have been a moto-cross track up to that point.

One other point of note is that the woodland appears to be plantation rather than ancient woodland. A new crop of trees is visible west of the lakes in 2002, becoming established by 2007. From 2007 onward (mostly in the period 2012-15) there is a fair amount of felling to the south of the lakes with new crops becoming established in some areas by 2017.

 

[shadwell]

Seems likely they had something fairly substantive to go on. I'd guess that the decision to deploy was taken at a very high level within the force, given the resourcing and reputational implications for the force as a whole. Chief officers would need to weigh the prospects of success with the costs and handling issues involved in drawing another blank on this case. Senior careers (above chief super) will be affected by this either way.

That said having decided to go ahead, it is right to manage it in a very high profile and threatening way, in order to rattle the cages of suspects and key witnesses. Some of that might be a bluff, but as with all good bluffs, the opponents can't establish that accurately. It also makes sense to finish the job - for weeks if needed.

From the speed with which they headed for the trough area and the presence of forensic archaeologists on site from the off, it seemed NYP believed they were acting on solid information. Whether that is still the case, I don’t know.