A review has been launched into the early stages of the Met police's investigation into the Alice Gross' disappearance and Arnis Zalkalns.

A police spokesman announced this afternoon that an independent review is being carried out to see if lessons can be learned from the way the early investigation of Alice's disappearance, and the initial stages of the missing person investigation into Arnis Zalkalns, was conducted.

Crimewatch's Kirsty Young talks to DCI Andy Chalmers about the disappearance of Latvian builder Arnis Zalkalns in connection with missing Alice Gross

From today police have also stated that officers will be in Latvia to pursue part of their investigation, 19 days after Arnis Zalkans was reported missing and five days after he was named as a prime suspect in the missing Alice Gross enquiry.

The Metropolitan (Met) police also released details showing the vast scale of the investigation to date.

The investigation team has reviewed 1,251 documents, spoken to 1,067 people and over 1,000 calls have been made to the incident room.

Thursday, September 25 will be four weeks on from the day that Alice left home as usual, and was last seen. Detectives will be staging a reconstruction along the route that Alice last walked in a bid to trace any further information or witnesses to Alice's last sightings.

One of the Met's own Volunteer Police Cadets will play the part of Alice.

A police spokesman said: "The investigation to find missing teenager Alice Gross has now entered its 27th day, and the focus remains firmly on finding Alice.

PHP 22-09-2014 Arnis Zalkalns who Metropolitan police want to talk to in connection with the disappearance of schoolgirl Alice Gross . Photo shows Head of Interpol in Latvia Indra Pulka talking to the media at The Latvian State Police HQ Riga Latvia Photo by Phil Harris Mirror News


"Today, Tuesday September 23 Met police officers attached to the enquiry will be in Latvia to pursue part of the investigation. They are working closely with the Latvian police and their arrival is at their invitation, under the terms of an International Letter of Request (ILOR). At this stage it is not being confirmed how long officers will remain in the country.

"Since September 11 detectives have been in contact with the Latvian police, and would like to thank them for their assistance to date.

"This investigation continues to be fast paced and expanding. Since the Homicide and Major Crime Command took over the investigation to find Alice on September 2 over 729 actions have been raised on the major investigation management system and each action represents a line of enquiry.

Arnis Zalkalns, Alice Gross and a CCTV footage of Zalkalns on the canal

"The Met's Specialist Crime Review Group is supporting the investigation team by carrying out an independent review. This is recognised as best practice, and is common in serious and major crime investigations.

"A review is also being carried out of the Met's early investigation into Alice's disappearance and the initial stages of the missing person investigation into Arnis Zalkalns. This is essential to ensure that any learning is identified. The review will be completed as quickly as possible.

"So far two people have been arrested by the investigation team, thoroughly investigated and eliminated from the inquiry.

"This is the largest deployment of search assets mobilised by the Met in support of an ongoing investigation since 7/7. Officers have searched 25sq km of open land, 5.5km of canals and rivers, plus over 30 properties including houses, derelict buildings, out buildings and empty houses.

"Officers would like to thank the local community for their patience and support as well as the wider public for their help, and continue to ask that they call police with any information."

He was also arrested in Ealing in 2009 on suspicion of indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl, but no further action was taken.