Missing Persons Week: help find those who vanished without a trace

IT IS a confronting statistic – in the 2017/18 financial year 1850 people were reported missing to WA Police Force.

That equates to an average of about five people each day who, for a variety of reasons, disappeared from their normal lives during that period.

For those five people, their families and their friends, the trauma experienced at these times cannot be understated and tragically for some their questions remain unanswered for a lifetime.

On average about 98 per cent of people reported missing are located, and most of those people are located within 24 to 48 hours of being reported missing.

But about two per cent become long-term missing persons.

The Missing Persons Unit currently has 314 long term missing persons cases dating back to 1953, and about half of those people are recorded as being “lost at sea”.

The reasons people go missing are varied – such as miscommunication, mental illness and dementia-related illness, or other criminal reasons such as abduction or murder.

National Missing Persons Week – which runs from August 5-11 – is an opportunity to remind the public of the significance of these matters, to appeal for people to come forward if they have information, and to encourage people to act swiftly if a loved one disappears.

If you are concerned for someone you know you can contact WA Police Force on 131 444.

If you have information regarding a missing person you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

More information regarding National Missing Persons Week is available at www.missingpersons.gov.au

Below are 10 people who have been reported missing in WA. You may know them and you may be able to provide answers for their families.

Alfred was 59 when he was last seen by his wife at their Canning Vale home on Friday March 29, 2013. He has fair skin, a medium build, is about 175cm tall with blue eyes and grey hair.

Neville was 61 when he was reported missing on August 9, 1991. His burnt out car was located several months later in Bullfinch. He has fair skin, a solid build, is about 175cm tall with green eyes and receding blonde hair. Neville also has a slight limp on his left leg.

On 23 May 1978, Rona Louise Edwards was at the Wyndham Hotel in Wyndham. Later that evening she was seen leaving with an unknown male and this was the last known sighting of her. Police consider the circumstances of the disappearance to be suspicious. The person or persons responsible for Miss Edwards’ disappearance have not been identified.

Lisa Jane Brown was last seen walking in Northbridge on Tuesday, November 10 1998, and she has not been seen since. Police consider the circumstances of the disappearance to be suspicious.

Carole was 50 when she was last seen at Rockingham Hospital about 12.15pm on Tuesday October 3, 2017.. She is described as fair skinned, about 165cm tall with blue eyes, brown hair and a slim build. She was wearing a light blue short and black pants, and had a distinctive blue coloured cast on her right arm from her shoulder to her wrist which was set at approximately 30 degrees.

On the evening of Friday, Decembetr 10 1993, Richard Milgin went missing from Looma Community, 120 km south east of Derby. He has not been seen since. The person or persons responsible for Mr Milgin’s disappearance have not been identified.

Justyna Koziol was 28 when she was last seen in Denham on Monday March 24, 2014. She is a Polish national with light skin, a slim build, was about 160cm tall with blonde hair. Justyna is believed to have left her accommodation at the Tradewinds Seafront Apartments in Denham, about 7am. She requires medication for a diagnosed illness and there are welfare concerns for her due to her state of mind at the time.

Lisa Joanne Govan was last seen outside the Club Deroes outlaw motor cycle gang clubhouse in Kalgoorlie on Friday, October 8 1999. She has not been seen since. Police consider the circumstances of the disappearance to be suspicious

Mr Nixon was 44 when he was last seen near Fitzroy Crossing on January 27, 2018. He has dark skin, a medium build, about 175cm tall with black hair. He had visited Darlngunaya Community, near Fitzroy Crossing and may have hitchhiked from Fitzroy Crossing to the Derby area. Concerns are held for his welfare due to the length of time he has been out of contact with friends and family, and because he requires medication.

Nick was 51 when he was last seen between October 7 and October 14, 2015. He had a ruddy complexion, a medium build, is about 187cm tall with short brown hair. Nicholas last spoke to a friend at his Currambine home between October 7 and October 14, 2015. His white Mitsubishi Lancer 1CKU 477 was found abandoned near the corner of Pigeon and Yeal roads, Yanchep.