Carmen inquiry shifts to house - report

Auckland detectives take away plastic bags of items found at the Mansons construction site in Victoria St. They were called in after a digger driver uncovered a bag of clothing. Photo / Greg Bowker

Police investigating the murder of Carmen Thomas have this evening turned their attentions to an east Auckland house, according to a report.

3 News reported that police are now at a house in east Auckland, where a man who works at the Victoria St construction site allegedly lives.

The broadcaster reported that police have set up tents at the property and quoted a neighbour as saying the man hadn't been seen since last Friday.

For much of today, police and Urban Search and Rescue staff focussed on a hole in the corner of an Auckland construction site.

Police forensics teams this afternoon put a camera down the hole, which a worker said was about 10m deep, and took photographs.

One News reported that a female police officer was also lowered into the hole and a cellphone may have been spotted.

Police have now left a digger covering the hole and will return to the scene tomorrow, reported 3 News.

A bag of clothing was yesterday found at the Victoria St construction site as it emerged it could be temporarily closed while police search for clues.

Several sources have told the Herald the site is to be shut down for up to two weeks and that workers will be sent home on full pay while police carry out inquiries there.

A digger driver was moving soil and concrete on the Victoria St site about 2pm yesterday when he uncovered a large black bag full of what appeared to be clothing.

A white T-shirt and a folded black T-shirt fell from the bag, which appeared to have come from the debris being moved by the digger.

When the driver noticed it, he put the bucket down on it and all work stopped while two plain-clothes officers walked down into the site, which is in the central city.

The officers put rubber gloves on while they examined the objects before putting them into evidence bags.

They then went across the road to another site that is also being developed by the same firm, Manson TCLM.

Work stopped for about an hour while the police work was carried out.

Brad Callaghan, Ms Thomas' ex-partner, and father of her child, Jack, has been charged with her murder.

He worked at the site as a structural engineer. Jack had been staying at his home since Ms Thomas disappeared.

Police last week drilled a hole in concrete there and on Monday lowered a camera down into the hole.

They have reportedly asked Manson TCLM to dig up freshly laid concrete.

Asked about the bag removed yesterday, Auckland City police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said anything taken from the site was of interest to the inquiry.

Ms Hegarty said police were not able to discuss specifics.

"Our investigation is ongoing and, when there are significant developments to report to the public, we will do so."

Police have not ruled out making further arrests.

"We are not in a position to publicly discuss who we may - or may not have - identified as people of interest to this investigation - other than the murder accused, Bradford Callaghan," Ms Hegarty said.

It was reported last night that police had found what could be a bag 15m under the site.

A worker told the Herald the site was being tidied up yesterday in preparation for police to return today.

He said they had been told that investigators could be at the site for up to two weeks.

Someone who worked nearby spoke to a man guarding the property on Tuesday night.

The man, who did not want to be named, was also told the site would be shut down for two weeks.

"They're minimum wage boys," the man said, referring to the workers. "This is their work. They don't want this happening."

He said the guard told him that workers would still be paid.

Manson representatives did not return phone calls yesterday. Culum Manson, a shareholder in the company, has previously said that the company was co-operating with police but would not comment to the media.

The driveway to Callaghan's Sonia Ave home in Remuera remained taped off yesterday as police scoured the unit for evidence.

Items appeared in order in a back sunroom but a mattress had been upturned in a bedroom on the side of the house.

One neighbour, who lives in an adjoining unit, had spoken to Callaghan and his pregnant fiancee on several occasions - and seen Jack playing in the yard - but noticed nothing untoward.

"He seemed very sweet," he said. "It wasn't that they weren't hospitable or anything."

Relatives and friends of Ms Thomas were disgusted by Callaghan's alleged actions.

On Facebook, Carol Lavagna said she regretted earlier comments she had made about Callaghan.

Rebecca Smith questioned what sort of person could kill their "beautiful Carmen".

"All our love to little Jack and to my cousin Teresa, lost for words."

Dave Pie said he felt sorry for Ms Thomas' son, saying: "Carmen you will never be forgotten, thinking bout little jack at this time, poor little man."

- with NZ Herald staff