A senior police officer has asked people to reach for their mobile phones if they think they have seen teenager Michaela Hunter, who has been missing for a fortnight.
As the search for the St John’s High School pupil entered its third week, Detective Chief Inspector Shaun McKillop said speed is of the essence if officers are to have a chance of following up reported sightings.
Mr McKillop praised the public for the “brilliant” response to police appeals for help but said the last confirmed sighting of Michaela was on April 21, just two days after she disappeared.
That was largely due to the period between sightings and when they were reported to the police, delays sometimes of a few hours that have allowed the trail to go cold.
Mr McKillop said, “The response we have had from the public and The Courier has been fantastic. We can’t fault it.
“It has given us reports of a lot of potential sightings which our team of officers is following up to ascertain whether it is Michaela.
“However, we haven’t been able to confirm sightings so far with a degree of certainty. We really need to know where she is as soon as possible.
“The responses we have had from the public suggest she is in the Charleston and city centre areas. If people see her then please phone us at once. Sometimes there has been a delay of four or five hours before a sighting is reported.
“Most people carry a mobile phone and we would ask them to call us straightaway. The quicker we can get to the scene, the better.”
Mr McKillop said there was no evidence to suggest that anything untoward has happened to Michaela but police are nevertheless becoming increasingly concerned about her disappearance and determined to trace her.
Several direct appeals have been made to Michaela to come forward regardless of what her circumstances may be.