Police are continuing to question a man arrested on suspicion of murdering missing chef Claudia Lawrence (pictured) Police are continuing to question a man arrested on suspicion of murdering missing chef Claudia Lawrence as they finished searching a house linked to his arrest. North Yorkshire Police arrested the married 59-year-old yesterday in connection with Miss Lawrence's disappearance in 2009. He remains in custody this morning and later today police will have to make a decision on whether to charge or release him, or will need to apply for extra time to question the suspect. Officers have been combing a semi-detached home in a quiet York cul-de-sac as part of their investigations, and a spokesman said the search of the property concluded last night. A spokesman said yesterday that Miss Lawrence, who was 35 when she went missing, had not been found. Her parents, Peter and Joan, were told about the arrest shortly before it was made public and are being supported by trained officers. Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, of North Yorkshire Police, has urged people not to identify the arrested man, who is from the York area, for fear of compromising the inquiry at what they describe as a 'critical phase'. He said: 'To ensure the investigation and legal process are not compromised or potentially damaged in any way during this critical phase in seeking the truth about Claudia's disappearance, North Yorkshire Police strongly advises the media and members of the public against identifying the man who has been arrested. 'This includes naming or publishing images of the man on traditional media platforms or social networking sites. 'I urge everyone to show restraint and patience while we carry out these very important inquiries.' Scroll down for video . The father-of-two drank in the same pub as the missing university chef and lives within half a mile of her home in York. Miss Lawrence was reported missing by her father after concerns were raised when she failed to turn up for her 6am shift at work in March 2009. North Yorkshire Police began reviewing the case in 2013 and have since carried out a number of searches, including a detailed re-examination of Miss Lawrence's home, in the Heworth area of the city, and a fingertip search of an alleyway that leads to the rear of the house. Officers have been combing a semi-detached home in a quiet York cul-de-sac as part of their investigations, and a spokesman said the search of the property concluded last night . An officer searches the front garden of the York house yesterday as part of the police investigation . Police search the front of the house in York. The man arrested in connection with Miss Lawrence's disappearance remains in custody this morning . A 60-year-old man was arrested last year in connection with her disappearance and suspected murder but was later released without charge, while a 47-year-old man remains on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. Mr Malyn said he was 'actively pursuing new leads' and that his team had made 'significant progress' since the force began reviewing the case in 2013. The detective said some people locally knew Miss Lawrence but have kept their relationship secret and some deliberately lied about a number of issues concerning their association with the chef. The arrest came days after police released previously unseen CCTV of a mystery man caught on camera walking towards the back of her terraced house on the evening she was last known to be alive. The footage, released to mark the anniversary of Miss Lawrence's disappearance, was taken at around 7.15pm on March 18 showing a man walking towards the rear of the missing chef;s house. The camera picks him up returning about one minute later and he appears to be carrying a bag over his shoulder. As he walks back to the main road he is seen to stop briefly as another man walks in front of him. Police appealed for information to identify both men and the arrest came five days later. Miss Lawrence's father, Peter, said yesterday: 'Any progress is good. It is encouraging to know that, following all the media activity over the last three weeks, from Claudia's 41st birthday to the sixth anniversary of her being missing, North Yorkshire Police continue to be active in seeking answers as to what has happened to Claudia. 'It is to be hoped that the matter can be resolved as soon as possible and I encourage people to continue to come forward with information to the police.' Miss Lawrence was reported missing by her father after concerns were raised when she failed to turn up for her 6am shift at work in March 2009 . Previously unseen CCTV footage released to mark the anniversary of Miss Lawrence's disappearance is shown on a digital advertising vehicle close to her home last week . Jen King, one of Miss Lawrence's closest friends, said: 'Everyone wants closure, but they have already arrested two people and got nowhere.' Neighbours in the quiet cul-de-sac in a middle-class neighbourhood were surprised by the police activity. One said: 'I know him, I've lived here for 20 years and he's just a normal bloke. He's lived here longer than me.' The neighbour said he had recently lost his job working as a manager for a large firm. Miss Lawrence returned home from work on Wednesday, March 18, 2009, and spoke to her parents separately on the phone that evening. She has not been seen since. Her father reported her missing on the Friday. Despite a huge investigation police have failed to find a single clue to explain what has happened to her. The suspect being questioned was one of many men who were spoken to at the time of the original police inquiry because he drank in the same pub as Miss Lawrence. The landlady of a different local pub, who also knows the suspect, said yesterday: 'He said the police spoke to him at the time, but he always made light of it. He said the police went to his house. He is a really funny, really nice guy who reads loads of books. He was very witty.' Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Man, 59, arrested yesterday in connection with chef's 2009 disappearance . Officers have been searching semi-detached home in York cul-de-sac . Miss Lawrence vanished in March 2009, and has still not been found . Her father, Peter says police progress on the case is 'encouraging'