The man was arrested at his home in Geleen, in the province of Dutch Limburg.
The boy, named Gino, has not yet been found, police said. “The search continues unabated,” said the police, who consider that the boy’s life is potentially in danger.
Last night, citizens had discovered “something” in or near a wood in Kerkrade, which police believe could be linked to the disappearance.
On Thursday, a scooter that looked a lot like Gino’s was found in a swimming pool in Landgraaf, which is a few kilometers from Kerkrade.
Gino, who lives in Maastricht, disappeared on Wednesday evening in Kerkrade, near the German border, where he was staying with his 32-year-old sister because his mother was sick. According to another 21-year-old sister, the boy went to play football early Wednesday evening at a playground near his home. He should have been back at 7:30 p.m. but never came back.
The alert concerning his disappearance was launched on Thursday.