Found Deceased UK - Leah Croucher - Emerson Valley - Milton Keynes - #6

[infinit]

Leah walked past the route often enough to probably notice if the property was vacant. My parents split their time abroad and the UK neighbour kids broke into the back garden because they knew my parents were away. They were caught on camera tho

The only thing that makes me doubtful of the rendezvous with someone at the house idea is that it was 8:16am when she was seen on the last CCTV, she was due to start work at 9am. It's around a 30 minute walk from the CCTV location to her work. She had maybe 15 minutes to spare.

 

[rose2022_]

hi everyone! I'm new here and have been following this case for a while as live locally and I'm a similar age to Leah. I'm devastated to hear the recent updates and my thoughts go out to Leah's friends and family.

I can't help but think that whoever did this must have had some kind of relationship to the owner, if not the owner themselves, as it seems like they never thought her body and personal belongings would ever be found by an external source. even if the body was concealed in the ceiling space and between floorboards, her belongings surely must have been in plain sight for cleaners or maintenance to find them? you would think someone would destroy items like her bag. I'm intrigued what the cleaners found and what made them contact the police. all my opinions only of course

 

[Nikynoo]

I have a background in lettings so thought I would do some digging. I could not find any old listing online for this property which is very unusual if let throughout an agency. So I then looked for its EPC to see when one was last done. There is no EPC, you should not rent a house without one. For example if you wanted to evict a tenany part of the paperwork you need to confirm that the tenant was given a copy of the EPC along with other paperwork upon signing, if these procedures were not follow you will struggle to evict. So with both these findings I do not think and agency was used or it is a very bad one.

Also someone mentioned if number 4 was put on the market shortly after LC disappearance. Usually agencies do an EPC when put on the market one was done on 5th September 2018 (as per attached SS) so that is likely around the time it went up for sale

Zoopla states the same date for the sale listing Property details for 4 Loxbeare Drive Furzton Milton Keynes MK4 1JL - Zoopla
Interesting about the EPC - so thank you for that info. Do you think the owners may have privately let number 2?

 

[Angel_nix]

Don't all rental properties need to have annual gas safety checks??

 

[Jenesaisquoi]

I can’t get over the killer keeping her rucksack there and not destroying it. What an idiot.

I am so glad that Leah has been recovered and will be back to her family, and so saddened with the enormity of everything the family and friends are dealing with.

I never imagined that she would be found at a property. I like to think that bodes well for catching her killer.

 

[Miss_French]

True, but the property isn't remote and is viewed from a fairly busy road out front and overlooked out back - so presumably not ideal for spending time picking locks?

It doesn't sound like a criminal mastermind, I'd be inclined to think opportunistic and somewhat rushed, more likely by someone she knew...I.e. went to the property with them - busy at that time in the AM so abduction unlikely...

But Leah was following her usual rountine to go to work, including the time she left home; the family had all gone so she could have had a lie-in if not working and I vaguely remember something about confusion over whether she booked a day off. Otherwise, she was meeting someone very briefly and heading on to her job, the other person didn't have much time as they were going to their job, or she went at that time because there were plans for the rest of the day that needed an early start.

 

[ElizaKate]

I have a background in lettings so thought I would do some digging. I could not find any old listing online for this property which is very unusual if let throughout an agency. So I then looked for its EPC to see when one was last done. There is no EPC, you should not rent a house without one. For example if you wanted to evict a tenany part of the paperwork you need to confirm that the tenant was given a copy of the EPC along with other paperwork upon signing, if these procedures were not follow you will struggle to evict. So with both these findings I do not think and agency was used or it is a very bad one.

Also someone mentioned if number 4 was put on the market shortly after LC disappearance. Usually agencies do an EPC when put on the market one was done on 5th September 2018 (as per attached SS) so that is likely around the time it went up for sale

Really useful knowledge thank you. Could the EPC just have expired if the owners decided not to let it anymore? Or would you have been able to see that?

 

[CoverMeCagney]

The owners of no2 were reportedly there in summer 2019, a few months after Leah vanished. I’m shocked they didn’t notice anything during their visit, if she was there the whole time.

 

[Cartie]

Zoopla states the same date for the sale listing Property details for 4 Loxbeare Drive Furzton Milton Keynes MK4 1JL - Zoopla
Interesting about the EPC - so thank you for that info. Do you think the owners may have privately let number 2?

It looks that way to me or if through an agency that has not done there due diligence. MOO

 

[Nikynoo]

The only thing that makes me doubtful of the rendezvous with someone at the house idea is that it was 8:16am when she was seen on the last CCTV, she was due to start work at 9am. It's around a 30 minute walk from the CCTV location to her work. She had maybe 15 minutes to spare.

When looking at the route on google maps earlier, 2 Loxbeare is half way between her home and her workplace.

 

[smucklecrumble]

The only thing that makes me doubtful of the rendezvous with someone at the house idea is that it was 8:16am when she was seen on the last CCTV, she was due to start work at 9am. It's around a 30 minute walk from the CCTV location to her work. She had maybe 15 minutes to spare.

when was her phone turned off? Perhaps she only planned to make a quick last minute stop

 

[Smutty94]

Questions I have...

What did they see in there to instantly change this from a misper to murder???

How are they so sure the perpetrator isn't a threat to the public??

How could anyone live in that house with a decomposing body the smell alone would be horrific surley?

Also I read a while back in the previous thread someone made a great point of analysing the wording used by tvp, I found it odd the wording especially when they said about dignity etc can't put my finger on it.

 

[Nikynoo]

It looks that way to me or if through an agency that has not done there due diligence. MOO

Dont landlords also need a Gas check certificate? Is there anyway of checking that?

 

[Cartie]

Really useful knowledge thank you. Could the EPC just have expired if the owners decided not to let it anymore? Or would you have been able to see that?

An EPC lasts upto 10 years, but even expired ones show on the database. Rentals have to be below a band E or below and in 2025 it will change to a C rating, which is also another reason why it should have one

 

[Cartie]

Don't all rental properties need to have annual gas safety checks??

Yes and an electrical certificate

 

[rose2022_]

when was her phone turned off? Perhaps she only planned to make a quick last minute stop

Leah's phone left the network at 8:34am

 

[infinit]

when was her phone turned off? Perhaps she only planned to make a quick last minute stop

8:34 or 8:36am I've read, it's a roughly 10 minute walk from the CCTV to the house, so there is 8/10 minutes between when you'd expect her to be walking past that house and when the phone went off.

When looking at the route on google maps earlier, 2 Loxbeare is half way between her home and her workplace.

Yeah, it's slag bang on one of the 2 proposed routes.

 

[tedtink]

when was her phone turned off? Perhaps she only planned to make a quick last minute stop

Phone would have been turned off appx 10 mins after reaching number 2.

 

[lore1]

sorry to be blunt but perhaps Leah herself had keys (collected on her brief trip out the night before) which could also mean maybe not murder but suicide, a hanging from the ceiling? she did go a few months before on her own to a budget hotel!

 

[VicBlazey]

The owners of no2 were reportedly there in summer 2019, a few months after Leah vanished. I’m shocked they didn’t notice anything during their visit, if she was there the whole time.

Makes you wonder if she was there the whole time, or was she moved there afterwards, when the coast was clear so to speak.