The missing RAF serviceman Corrie McKeague is not in Bury St Edmunds and third party criminal involvement is likely, according to a post by his mother.

Ely Standard: Missing Corrie McKeague, last seen in Bury St EdmundsMissing Corrie McKeague, last seen in Bury St Edmunds (Image: Archant)

Nicola Urquhart, a police family liaison officer herself, made the statement on Facebook yesterday, as police also traced three potentially important witnesses.

Police are also further widening their search, 16 days since the RAF Honington gunner was seen in Bury town centre at 3.24am on Saturday September 24.

The lack of information about where Corrie went, after he was recorded on CCTV in Brentgovel Street, has led to police appealing for every single person who was in the town centre between 3am and 6am to come forward.

Mrs Urquhart posted on Facebook: “Police are confident Corrie is not still in Bury and has not left on foot.

Ely Standard: Corrie McKeague in his RAF uniformCorrie McKeague in his RAF uniform (Image: Archant)

“This can only mean there is third party involvement, there is just no evidence so far to prove criminality.

“As such, I would ask people to help me find this evidence as someone does know something.”

Initial police focus has centred on the theory that Corrie, 23, had tried to walk home back to RAF Honington where he lived.

The member of RAF Regiment 2 Squadron, who has been at the Suffolk base for three years this month, was known to walk home on nights out.

Despite searches by the police helicopter and on foot, no trace of Corrie has been found in the ten mile stretch between Bury and the base. These searches will continue today.

Yesterday police announced they had traced three young people seen on CCTV at around 4.20am on Short Brackland, behind Cornhill Walk shopping centre. It was thought they may have seen Corrie after his last sighting.

The trio were initially described as teenagers and police confirmed they would be interviewed as witnesses.

A spokesman for Suffolk police said officers also carried out two week “anniversary checks” on Friday night and Saturday morning.

He said: “Officers spoke to a number of people in the area and are going through information given to them to identify possible new lines of enquiry.

“The checks were carried out as police continue to work to identify those who were in the centre of Bury in the early hours of Saturday September 24, as part of ongoing enquiries to discover where Corrie is now.

“When he was last seen he was wearing distinctive light clothing – a pink shirt and white jeans or trousers.

“CCTV has shown the area was comparatively busy between 3am and 6am and police need to trace and speak to all those who were there between these times.”

Police are also still looking to trace Corrie’s phone, which according to cell data moved from Bury to Barton Mills, near Mildenhall, at around 4.30am on September 24.

It is believed the phone, a Nokia 435 kept in a tattered black PVC leather case, must have been in a vehicle, but it is not known if Corrie was with it.

Corrie is described as white, 5ft 10ins tall, of medium build, with short light brown hair.

If you have any information phone the major incident team on 01473 782019. You can also phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111