The police found a car in the water around 8:30 PM on Tuesday during a search for the missing children Jeffrey and Emma. The vehicle was found near the Renselweg in Winschoten. The area has been cordoned off for further investigation.
The police announced the discovery Tuesday evening via X. It is unknown if it is the car of Klaas B., the father of the children. The police are looking for a grey Toyota Avensis from the year 2001. B. is suspected of kidnapping the children. The police fear for their lives.
The police spokesperson cannot say if bodies were found in the car. The Renselweg is in an industrial area. Across the water, on the Havenkade-West, an area is being set up for journalists. The police will answer questions there.
The police announced Tuesday evening in the program Investigation Requested that finding the children is the highest priority. Dozens of officers and citizens participated in the search on Monday and Tuesday, but that has not yielded anything so far.
Children Have Not Been Seen Since SATURDAY Afternoon
On Saturday at 9:40 AM, the car of father Klaas B. drove past a Shell gas station on the Beersterweg in Winschoten. The brief images made it clear that it is a grey Toyota from 2001 with a tow bar. Later, between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM, the man was reportedly seen in a German gambling hall in Bunde, just across the border.
From Bunde, he appears to have traveled back to Beerta alone. There, he picked up ten-year-old Jeffrey and eight-year-old Emma around 3:30 PM. That is the last time the children were seen. Fifteen minutes later, the car was still seen on the A7 near Winschoten.
Jeffrey and Emma have been missing since Saturday afternoon. Since then, there has been no trace. A possible scenario is that B. drove to Germany. The German police are therefore also investigating.
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