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Detectives return to home of teen who vanished 27 years ago

Iona YoungBBC Scotland
Police Scotland Side by side images of Kenneth Jones - on the left hand side is a head shot of him smiling and laughing as a teenager, on the right hand side is an artist's rendition of how he might look now Police Scotland
Kenneth vanished in 1998, left, and an artist's impression of what he might look like now

Detectives are returning to the former home of a Fife teenager who vanished 27 years ago.

Kenneth Jones was last seen at about 22:30 on 2 November 1998 in the Ancrum Court area of Glenrothes.

But despite an extensive investigation there have been no further sightings of Jones, who was 18 at the time and would now be 46.

Police Scotland's major investigation team launched a reinvestigation into his disappearance in 2024 .

And, in February, experts searched the garden of the property using ground penetrating radar.

In the latest development, the force confirmed it will now carry out further searches in the garden.

Jones was described as white, 6ft 2in, with short, dark-brown hair.

When last seen he was wearing a black leather zip-up jacket, black jeans, and yellow and green trainers.

His family reported him missing two days later, on 4 November 1998.

Alan Simpson A blue forensic tent erected in a back garden next to a metal washing line. A number of wheelie bins are in the background and some open plastic boxes Alan Simpson
Police have returned to the home

Police said it was essential to find out what happened to the teenager to give his loved ones "much needed closure".

Det Ch Insp Jonathan Pleasance said: "We are returning to Ancrum Court to carry out specific searches in the garden following our enquiries in February.

"We remain committed to establishing the full circumstances of what happened to Kenneth and will explore all possible opportunities, including modern technology, which could assist."

He added officers continue to review all available evidence and were "keeping an open mind".

Det Ch Insp Pleasance added: "I would appeal to anyone who may have any information, no matter how small it may seem, to come forward."

Ronnie McLellan moved into the house where Jones lived at the time of his disappearance five years ago.

He previously told BBC Scotland News that he first became aware of the connection last summer when detectives arrived at his front door.

McLellan said that search of the garden and a shed turned up nothing.

But on 19 February police attended his home to carry out a ground penetrating radar scan.

It allows experts to map areas using electromagnetic waves.

Officers were also accompanied by a sniffer dog and a drone.

McLellan said: "They went over the ground with the GPR unit, horizontal and then vertical and then they mapped certain areas.

"They stuck the drone up, just to get a birds' eye view.

"They had the sniffer dog in. He wasn't in for long, I was observing the sniffer dog. I assumed he would bark if he sensed something, but he didn't find anything."

McLellan said he was told it would be "a couple of weeks" before the results of the scan could be obtained.

He said: "I was 95% sure that they didn't find anything, but there is always that 5% chance.

"It's for Kenny and his mum. They could have dug up the whole garden if it would help them.

"It's about helping them put the boy at peace, his mum at peace."