The Metropolitan Police has denied claims that officers searching a field in Falconwood are looking for a body, and confirmed the operation is not connected to a stabbing in which a teenager was stabbed and his e-bike stolen.
The search at Falconwood Field, off Rochester Way in Greenwich, has been under way for several days, with a large police cordon in place. Claims circulating on social media suggested officers were searching for a body, while others linked the operation to an incident on Saturday, 31 October.
A spokesperson for the force said: “This search isn’t connected.” “The search mentioned is not looking for a body and no body has been found so these claims are not true,” the spokesperson added.
Despite requests for further information, the Met has not confirmed what officers are searching for or the nature of the investigation. Photographs from the scene show a police van parked near a wooded area, and there have been reports of a forensic tent inside the cordon.
The operation first came to public attention earlier this week. We reported on Friday that police search teams and dogs, forensic officers and multiple police units were controlling the area around the clock, with officers saying at the time that they had not named any other incident connected to the search. On Saturday morning the force said there was “no indication of a stabbing” following reports of such an incident — a clarification we added to that report. Today’s statement goes further, explicitly ruling out both a body search and any link to the 31 October stabbing.
The cordon has kept part of the field closed for days, and it remains unclear whether any arrests have been made or when officers will lift it. The force has not said how long the search is expected to continue, or what it hopes to find.
The denial leaves the purpose of the operation unexplained. The Met has declined to say what prompted the search, and has not confirmed whether the cordon relates to any other incident in the area. Residents have been left with a heavy police presence and no official explanation beyond the two things the force has now ruled out.
The 31 October incident remains a separate matter. In that incident a teenager was stabbed and his e-bike was stolen. Police have not said whether anyone has been arrested in connection with it, and today’s statement makes clear only that it is not the reason for the Falconwood Field search.
The cordon at Falconwood Field remains in place. We will bring you the latest updates as they become available.
