BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Police say several people are assisting their investigations as they continue the search for a Canadian national, Alfred Pleil, who was reported missing last month after he failed to appear at his regular dining spots and was last seen in Punta Gorda on January 15.
“As it relates to the investigation about Mr. Pleil, I must advise that it’s an ongoing investigation. During the course of that investigation, police had uncovered several items of interest and had detained several persons in the course of the investigation,” Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith told reporters.
Smith said while the investigators are making headway, the case remains delicate and very much active.
“What I will say is that several items, being the property of Mr. Pleil, were discovered during the course of the investigation,” she said, adding, “it’s an ongoing investigation (and) as the investigation continues to develop, the media will be advised of the progress”.
The 64-year-old Canadian national had been residing in the Indianville area of Toledo, Belize’s southernmost and least populated district.
Police said that while Pleil’s vehicle, which had been abandoned in the area, had been, they are denying reports that his body had also been found.
The authorities caution the public against spreading unverified information, noting that false reports can cause unnecessary distress to families and interfere with ongoing investigations.
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