Underworld figures are likely "outraged" by the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel and may be providing intelligence on those responsible, according to senior officers.
The St Margaret Mary's Primary School pupil died on Monday, August 22 after a gunman burst into her home on Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot, while chasing 35-year-old convicted criminal Joseph Nee. The killer opened fire hitting Olivia's mum, Cheryl Korbel, in the wrist and fatally wounding Olivia in the chest.
The tragedy came after the fatal shootings of 22-year-old Sam Rimmer in Dingle on August 16, and 28-year-old Ashley Dale in Old Swan on August 21. Mr Rimmer's murder was the first homicide in Merseyside involving a firearm in more than a year and those six dark days stunned police.
READ MORE: School friends traumatised by Olivia murder to be offered counselling
Detectives are working "around-the-clock" on finding justice for Olivia and on Sunday four men were arrested in the space of 24 hours, including one on suspicion of Olivia's murder and three on suspicion of assisting an offender. All four suspects remain in custody after Merseyside Police were granted a 36 hour extension to the 24 hour custody limit so detectives can continue questioning them.
Assistant Chief Constable Chris Green told the media yesterday that Merseyside Police had received a "phenomenal" response from the community and information received has already allowed detectives to "make investigative decisions and take action".
ACC Green's comments were echoed by Detective Chief Superintendent Lee Turner, head of intelligence at the force, when asked if the 'criminal fraternity' had assisted with the investigation into Olivia's death. DCS Turner said: "Our intelligence comes from all different sources, and that's community intelligence like I mentioned, it will also come from criminals as well, it will come from the prison estate and a whole range of sources, because [Olivia's murder] is unprecedented.
"There's almost an acceptance that if you operate within that serious and organised crime arena you are taking some risk, and you are aware of that risk.
"But when innocent individuals and on this occasion an innocent nine-year-old child is murdered, everyone, I think, is outraged by it, everybody, from the hardest criminal right down to the lowest level street dealer. Because they will have sisters or nieces or daughters, or whatever and everyone recognises that is just a completely innocent member of the public and now she has lost her life, at nine and it is just horrific."
DCS Turner said that crime bosses are also "uncomfortable" with the increased levels of police activity on the streets of Merseyside, possible after neighbouring forces and the Home Office provided extra resources to disrupt serious and organised crime.
DCS Turner said: "Individuals who sit right at the top at a high level of organised criminality do not want firearms being discharged on the streets of Merseyside because it's a business model for them. They do not want shootings to take place because that brings attention from the police and disrupts their business model and their opportunity to make money."
However the force says that flashpoints can and do occur within even highly-organised, established criminal groups, and violent disputes can follow.
ACC Green said: "There's a fragile relationship between those involved in organised crime. And we know that those relationships can break down very, very quickly and escalate to serious violence. Just by virtue of the types of individuals they are, they don't follow the normal rules of society and they are driven by greed, dishonesty.
"They are toxic in our society. So they are not operating on those same rules, and if one of those fragile relationships breaks down they don't then negotiate, discuss, debate; they go straight to violence and intimidation and unfortunately that leads to some of the issues we see on the streets."
Today Olivia's dad, John Francis Pratt, released a statement calling for justice. He said: "Olivia’s future has been cruelly snatched away from her and we have been deprived of a real light in our lives. We know that there has been an exceptional response to police appeals and we would like to thank those who have come forward.
"At the same time we want to urge others who may have evidence to keep coming forward with information which could help put those responsible for our Olivia’s murder behind bars."
Anyone with information on the tragedy is asked to DM @MerPolCC or contact @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111.
If you have any CCTV/dashcam/smart doorbell footage that could help police inquiries they can be downloaded on the dedicated public portal for Olivia's murder, which will go straight through to the investigation team. Footage can be submitted here Public Portal ( mipp.police.uk ).
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