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10/09/2001
Man arrested as police search for missing boys
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following a police investigation into the disappearance of two schoolboys which took place more than 27 years ago.
A 69-year-old man was arrested on Monday morning as detectives continued their search of houses in Rodney Drive in west Belfast.
Leaflets distributed to the local community informed residents them that the search related to the disappearance of John Rodgers and Thomas Spence, who went missing in November 1974. The leaflets stated: “We have been informed that this search may yield nothing but that they are acting on information as a result of enquiries into the case of a convicted sex offender convicted some years back.”
Families living in the houses being investigated have moved out while police conduct their search.
An RUC spokesman stressed that the current occupants of the two houses are in no way “connected, implicated or suspected of anything”. The operation is set to last several days.
The two boys were both supposed to be on their way to St Aloysius School when they were last seen on the morning of 26 November 1974.
Neither boy arrived at school and both were reported missing the following day. (AMcE)
A 69-year-old man was arrested on Monday morning as detectives continued their search of houses in Rodney Drive in west Belfast.
Leaflets distributed to the local community informed residents them that the search related to the disappearance of John Rodgers and Thomas Spence, who went missing in November 1974. The leaflets stated: “We have been informed that this search may yield nothing but that they are acting on information as a result of enquiries into the case of a convicted sex offender convicted some years back.”
Families living in the houses being investigated have moved out while police conduct their search.
An RUC spokesman stressed that the current occupants of the two houses are in no way “connected, implicated or suspected of anything”. The operation is set to last several days.
The two boys were both supposed to be on their way to St Aloysius School when they were last seen on the morning of 26 November 1974.
Neither boy arrived at school and both were reported missing the following day. (AMcE)
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