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A former serviceman who was arrested in connection of a toddler who went missing in Germany 38 years ago has been released without charge.
Katrice Lee, from Hartlepool, disappeared from a supermarket near a British army base in Paderborn in 1981.
Royal Military Police said an arrest had been made in the Swindon area on Monday.
The man has now been released without charge. Police continue to search an an address in Swindon.
Man arrested in 1981 missing toddler case released
Isn't being "arrested" in the UK different than being arrested in the US? I found this article but I am not sure if it's considered MSM. It does a good job though of explaining the differences.
What It’s Like To Be Arrested in the U.K.
I feel sick to my stomach waiting to find out now. I lived in Germany for almost 9 years and every time we past the old, closed Schloss Neuhaus NAAFI to go the the NAAFI in Paderborn several times a week, I always said 'This is where Katrice disappeared'.
1981 or 2019 - The NAAFI shops are not overcrowded, full of strangers, noisy places; NAAFI is a huge part of our Armed Forces community and it would be rare to not bump into at least 1 person you know, even if you're the only people in the shop. Staff included.
There is absolutely no way a toddler could be removed from that shop with a fuss from her, she went quietly and unnoticed. And absolutely no way on her own, somebody would have noticed a toddler either leaving the huge amount of ground she'd have to to drown in a river or a toddler kicking and screaming being taken away.
I'm quite close to Swindon nowadays, strangly
Absolutely aching for Katrice and her family.
You can become a verified insider,and confirm information.I think i know her my sister and i were adopted as toddlers and lied to our whole lives she lives in colorado
Doesn't one have to be a servicemember, family member, or verified personel, ( with specific I.D.) to get on base,or shop there?That’s what I’ve never been able to get my head around.
We left Germany in 79 and I was only 4 so although I have no memories of that NAAFI, I know I’ve been in there. I’ve certainly been in plenty of other NAAFIs in my time though, and it’s just not the sort of thing that happened.
It’s hard to explain to a civvie what life “on camp” was like, but it wasn’t like the real world. Yes, you had to look under your car for bombs before you got in it but children didn’t go missing. Bad things didn’t happen.
It still breaks my heart even after all these years, and I’ve had a knot in my stomach all day hoping that something would come of this arrest. I now want to cry that yet again it’s nothing.
Doesn't one have to be a servicemember, family member, or verified personel, ( with specific I.D.) to get on base,or shop there?
Disappointing this latest arrest hasn't led to a charge.
I’ve had a knot in my stomach all day hoping that something would come of this arrest. I now want to cry that yet again it’s nothing.
"He has now been released without charge. The search of an address in Swindon continues and the Royal Military Police are keeping the Lee family informed of developments."
Doesn't one have to be a servicemember, family member, or verified personel, ( with specific I.D.) to get on base,or shop there?
Thank you. Interesting.Lots of the bigger NAAFIs, including this one, were “outside the wire”. They’re not in the main grounds of camp and you wouldn’t need to show ID to get into them.
Checkout staff sometimes ask if they don’t recognize you, but usually only if you’re buying alcohol or rationed items like cigarettes or coffee.
I'm thinking (hoping) they have got the right man, possibly as a result of the tip off from the ex-colleague, but don't want to use up the 96 hour clock until they've got more info and/or evidence.
Here is a report from the Telegraph:
Father of missing Katrice Lee believes she is still alive as arrested man is released without charge
Here is a report from the Mirror:
Dad of Brit toddler missing since 1981 tells of 'hell' as arrest made
This one from the Sun:
Missing Katrice Lee's dad believes she could still be alive 37 years on
And this one from ITV:
Ex-serviceman arrested over disappearance of Katrice Lee in 1981 released without charge
I just don’t understand arresting someone and then releasing them a few hours later why on earth would they do that to a victims family after all these years? It must be devastating.
I think British laws are very strict about keeping somebody in jail before charging and prosecution.I just don’t understand arresting someone and then releasing them a few hours later why on earth would they do that to a victims family after all these years? It must be devastating.