Latvian police launch investigation into missing builder suspected in killing British teenager

Latvian Police have launched an investigation today in to the whereabouts of missing Latvian builder Arnis Zalkalns.

Zalkans, 41 from London is being treated as a prime suspect in the disappearance of 14 year old Alice Gross in London last month.

A spokeswoman for Latvia's Police said several units from a few regions had launched an investigation amid reports the builder may have returned to Latvia. 

She denied to confirm or deny Zalkalns was in Latvia. The investigation was a 'top priority' for Latvia's police, the spokeswoman added.

Zalkalns, originally from Riga, was declared missing on September 3. CCTV footage in Britain showed Zalkalns in the same location as Alice shortly after she went missing.

The builder has a previous criminal record and served six years in 1997 after murdering his wife in Latvia, newspaper reports show.