Suspect arrested for Amsterdam man's 2002 disappearance

The Amsterdam police arrested a 49-year-old man from Nederhemert on Tuesday on suspicion of involvement in the disappearance of Patrick van Dillenburg in Amsterdam in 2002, the police said in a statement.

Van Dillenburg disappeared on January 2nd, 2002 from Willemstraat in Amsterdam. At the time he was 38 years old. On that night he was home with his girlfriend and their young son when he got a call. He told his girlfriend that he had to go out for a while, but never returned home. As it was not uncommon for Van Dillenburg to be gone for stretches of time, he was only reported missing later in January 2002.

While investigating his disappearance, the police came to believe that Van Dillenburg may have gotten involved in a drug-related conflict. Despite multiple tips about his disappearance, the man has never been found. 

"Yet the investigation did not fall into oblivion and the Public Prosecutor and the detectives decided to make an ultimate attempt to get more clarity", the police said. This attempt led to the arrest of the 49-year-old man on Tuesday. The suspect is in restricted custody, which means that he is only allowed contact with his lawyer. "For that reason, no further information can be shared at this time about his possible involvement."

With the arrest, the investigation into what happened to Van Dillenburg is again in full swing. The police does not rule out that more arrests will follow. Investigators call on anyone with information about what happened to Patrick van Dillenburg or the whereabouts of the man or his body to come forward. The Prosecutor in Amsterdam offered a reward of 20 thousand euros for information that leads to a breakthrough in this case.