Man arrested after human remains found in suitcases at Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol
A man has been arrested in south east London after human remains were found in two suitcases near the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, the Metropolitan Police said.
This is “not the same man” who is the subject of an ongoing police appeal, the force added.
They said the 36-year-old was arrested at an address in Greenwich early on Friday and remains in custody.
Police continue to search for a man who left two suitcases containing the remains of two adult men on Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol on Wednesday.
It is believed the suspect travelled from London to Bristol to dump the body parts.
In an update issued on Friday, Avon and Somerset Police said the case had been handed over to the Metropolitan Police.
Earlier a crime scene was set up in the Shepherd's Bush area of London. A private ambulance arrived at the scene at 6:30pm.
A helicopter circled above the crime scene in Scott’s Road on Friday afternoon in Shepherd’s Bush, as four police officers guarded tape which cordoned off an area of bins below a high-rise building.
The remains are yet to be identified but police believe they belong to two adult men.
The suspect remains at large, with police in Bristol saying there is no evidence that the suspect remains in their force area.
What we know so far
Police were called to Clifton Suspension Bridge at 11.57pm on Wednesday 10 July to reports of a man acting suspiciously
Officers arrived within 10 minutes but the man had left, leaving behind a suitcase. A second suitcase was found shortly after. Both contained human remains
The suspect is yet to be found or identified, with police releasing images of a man they want to speak to in relation to the investigation
The suspect was taken to the site in a taxi. The vehicle has been seized and the driver of it is assisting police
Police have not identified the deceased but believe the remains belong to two adult men
The investigation has been handed over to the Metropolitan Police and a crime scene has been set up in Shepherd's Bush
There is no evidence the suspect remains in the Avon and Somerset Police area
A 36-year-old man has been arrested on Friday, however this is "not the same man" who is the subject of an ongoing police appeal, the Met Police said.
The statement in full from Acting Bristol Commander Vicks Hayward-Melen
"The discovery of human remains within two suitcases on the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol on Wednesday night has understandably caused shock and deep concern across our communities.
"Over the past 36 hours, significant progress has been made in the investigation, which up until now has been led by officers with our Major Crime Investigation Team.
"As a direct result of these enquiries and due to the information gathered so far, primacy for this investigation has now been handed over to the Metropolitan Police.
"It is believed the man wanted in connection with this incident had travelled to the Clifton area of Bristol from London earlier on Wednesday before taking a taxi to Clifton Suspension Bridge where the suitcases were unloaded. There is also a crime scene in place at a location in Shepherd’s Bush.
"Our detectives are working closely with the inquiry team from the Met Police and we’ll continue to assist them in any way we can.
"We’re able to confirm forensic post-mortem examinations are still being carried out on the remains found within the two suitcases, but they are believed to be of two adult men. It’s important to stress they have not yet been formally identified and efforts to locate and speak to their next of kin are being prioritised.
"We’re very grateful to the public for the way they’ve responded to our appeals for information. Policing relies on the support of the public and we’d like to thank everyone who has contacted us to supply information or help in some way. We’ve had more than 160 messages through our Major Incident Room phone number and our online portal.
"We’d also like to thank residents for their patience for any disruption caused by the Closure of Clifton Suspension Bridge. The bridge re-opened earlier today following the completion of our enquiries and the removal of the cordon.
"Despite the investigation being transferred to the Met Police, our Neighbourhood Policing teams will continue to carry out high-visibility engagement patrols in the Clifton and Leigh Woods area over the coming days and we have a mobile police station located next to the Clifton Suspension Bridge (Clifton side)."
Anyone with any information should call 101 and quote reference 5224180010.