Yahoo News Jay Slater detective debunks new theory after 'distressing' video emerges online
The former British police detective working for missing Jay Slater's 'devastated' family has addressed a new theory over a 'distressing' video circulating online.
The 19-year-old, from Oswaldtwistle, went missing in Tenerife on June 17 and authorities put an end to the search operation for the apprentice bricklayer after 13 days. Well-wishers continue to pursue leads in a bid to help his family get answers.
Among them is Mark Williams-Thomas who has people folks updated since landing on the Spanish island. He has now moved to debunk a theory after a 'distressing' video began doing the rounds online.
READ MORE: Missing Jay Slater's mum says 'this is no holiday' in emotional new statement
Some people claimed the clip showed Jay, reports the Mirror. However, Mr Williams-Thomas insists the video is not recent and therefore cannot feature the missing teen.
He stated: "Lots of people are contacting us about a distressing video that is circulating. The video was first posted on a social media site nine years ago and therefore cannot be Jay Slater."
It comes after the ex-cop turned his attention to an alleged 'stolen Rolex', revealing Jay had posted a video on Snapchat boasting about the theft of a £12,000 Rolex, just hours before he vanished. Mr Williams-Thomas explained: "On route Jay posted a Snapchat saying that they had taken a £12,000 Rolex from a person.
"We have been unable to validate this in terms of a reported theft. However, friends of Jay he would not make this up and the watch was the subject of a later conversation between them."
He also alleged that Jay was scared when he left the holiday rental where he was last seen, adding the teenager couldn't go back to the property, despite this being the most "sensible course of action."
The detective said: "We have received information that would suggest Jay left the rental property feeling scared and that he would not return to the rental, even though that would have been the most sensible course of action, and also where he could have charged his phone and got water."
Despite a gruelling two week-long search, which saw helicopters, drones and sniffer dogs deployed across the mountains in Masca, Spanish police were unable to find Jay. He is known to have stayed at an Airbnb in the rural Masca village with two British men before vanishing at around 8.50am as he attempted to make his way back to the touristy town of Los Cristianos.
Mr Williams-Thomas ruled out that Jay has been kidnapped, despite his mum Debbie previously saying she believed that was what had happened to him. He added: "We have no evidence at this stage to say there was any third-party criminal involvement in Jay’s disappearance.
"However, there are still a number of outstanding actions and therefore we still remain open minded to the possibility of this changing. The evidence strongly supports that Jay walked off and was walking for at least 30 minutes off the road on a track before he last had contact with friends, with a very accurate location pin drop at 8.50am.
"I would make an appeal for landowners in the area of Teno Rural Park to check any outbuildings and land that they have and hope that some further searches will continue by volunteers in the area not yet searched."
