When reporting a missing person, time is of the essence.
Mike Bolhuis, a specialist investigator of violent and serious economic crimes, reminded community members that there is no requirement to wait 24 hours before opening a missing person case.
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What information you will need about the missing person
• Recent photographs, face and full-body, if possible
• Age
• Date of birth/ID number/passport number
• Colour of hair
• Colour of eyes
• Height
• Weight
• Identifying markings: tattoos/scars/freckles
• Contact number (s) of the missing person
• Physical address of their residence
• Location where the person was last seen
• Clothing the missing person was wearing when last seen
• Motor vehicle details: type of car, colour, registration number
• Description of the circumstances when the person went missing
Bolhuis said it is essential to take steps and start the investigation into a missing person’s case immediately.
After gathering all essential information, those looking for the missing person should go to the nearest police station.
At the police station
• Complete a SAPS 55(A) form, which safeguards the SAPS from fake reports and indemnifies them to distribute the photograph and corresponding information about the missing person.
• Ensure that you take the details of the investigating officer: their name, surname and personal contact number.
• Take the missing person’s file number/case number.
• Keep in contact with the detectives and caseworkers and update them should you receive any information regarding the missing person.
• Contact the Bureau for Missing Persons, make the same report and give all the relevant details to them as well.
The bureau, which is a crime-stop project, will scan the recent photograph of the missing person into the national database.
Social media and missing persons
• Social media represents either a unique solution in finding a missing person, or it creates a platform for a lot of misinformation or disinformation.
• It is important to thoroughly assess each comment.
• Families of missing persons will also have to distinguish between facts and fake news.
The Gauteng offices of the bureau of missing persons can be contacted at missing.gauteng@saps.gov.za or 011 670 6316/6415/6416.
Contact the newsroom by emailing: Marietta Lombard (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, or (Journalists) Busi Vilakazi busiv@caxton.co.za
