River search for woman missing since 2006, man arrested in Manchester

Over 17 years after the disappearance of Malgorzata Wnuczek, Leicestershire Police are conducting a search of the River Soar in hopes of uncovering new information. Wnuczek, who was 27 years old at the time, went missing on May 31, 2006. She was last seen boarding a bus in Leicester city centre after leaving her workplace at Peter Jackson Logistics on Sunningdale Road. Her family last heard from her via text message on May 29, 2006.

Despite a renewed appeal from police and her loved ones in 2016, Wnuczek’s whereabouts have remained a mystery. However, specialist teams are now searching the River Soar near the Mill Lane bridge, following new information provided by Polish police. A 39-year-old man has also been arrested in Greater Manchester on suspicion of assisting an offender and perverting the course of justice.

Detectives believe that there may be individuals within Leicester’s Polish community who have information about Wnuczek’s disappearance. Detective Inspector Jenni Heggs of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) stated, “Malgorzata was 27 when she was last seen. Two days ago it was her 44th birthday.”

“Officers both in the UK and in Poland have remained in contact with her family since she was last seen. Following information provided to us by our Polish colleagues, we are carrying out a search of the River Soar in the hope we might find something that can help us to establish Malgorzata’s whereabouts.”

Since the investigation began, over 2,000 potential witnesses have provided more than 2,500 lines of enquiry, with over 100 statements taken. However, Wnuczek’s location and what happened to her remain unknown. Detective Inspector Heggs expressed her belief that there are people who have information about the case, adding, “For more than 17 years, her family have lived their lives in darkness and we owe it to them to answer the questions they have.”