Cops dig at dwelling of man lacking for 2 years as eight charged with homicide
A search is underway at a property in Leicester after a missing 60-year-old was named by Leicestershire Police as 11 people were arrested on suspicion of murder
Gary Piatek went missing in 2024(Image: Leicestershire Police / SWNS)
Police have named a 60-year-old man who was last seen in 2024 after he went missing. Since then, 11 people have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
According to Leicestershire Police, an extensive search is underway at a property in Leicester as part of the inquiry into the disappearance of Gary Piatek, with building machinery and digging teams being used.
In a statement, detectives confirm that nine suspects arrested on Tuesday remain in police custody, and 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 ongoing investigation, a detailed search is being carried out at an address in Broad Street in Evington. A significant amount of police activity will remain ongoing at this address over the coming days and weeks, including specially trained search officers, building machinery and crime scene investigators. The searches include digging into the ground at the property.”
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.
“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.”
The police force added: “Anyone with any information is asked to submit this via 101, quoting incident number 221 of 9 February 2026.
“We would also ask our communities to avoid the sharing of misinformation and speculation and to only share information which is known to be true. Further updates will be provided by the force as and when it is appropriate to do so. Thank you.”
Six men aged 61, 43, 34, 33, 25 and 21, remain in custody after they were arrested on suspicion of murder. Two women were also arrested and remain in custody, aged 34 and 39.
Meanwhile, a 50-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and also remains in police custody.
Two men have also been released under investigation while inquiries continue, after they were arrested on suspicion of murder. A 23-year-old woman arrested for the same offence has been released from custody with no further action to be taken.
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