UK UK - Sarah Everard, 33, London - Clapham Common area, 3 March 2021 #2

[dlgh11]

Leaving via a quieter exit might not be so odd if the friend has judgemental neighbors, given we're not technically supposed to be in other people's houses at the moment it might have been to sneak SE in/out of the house

I think leaving via the back gate would take her directly onto the A205 which is quicker than her going out the front door and walking along the side streets. It is does make sense and doesn't appear to be unusual.

 

[SimplyCass]

A general question I had. In other missing person cases LE has made a point of saying when they know that a cell phone runs out of battery as opposed to when it is deliberately turned off. Not sure what info tells them that or if they could tell here.

For this case, the only report is that her cell phone last pinged at Clarence. Nothing about the phone otherwise - whether it was powered down or ran out of battery. Why is that? Does that suggest that she put her phone in airplane mode at that point?

recent iPhone models don't have headphone jacks so she would have connected through BT. If one triggers airplane mode while connected, the connection is usually lost. So if she triggered airplane mode, I am skeptical it was intended.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

I personally would not have walked through Clapham Common on my own after dark, BUT in saying that I did recently walk through another park at about 8.30pm & although the park has a reputation, because it was well lit, there were quite a few people around and I knew I'd be out of there quickly, so for me it was a quick risk assessment, and decision made - also if Sarah has walked through the common at night previously, and nothing untoward had happened, she'd feel a lot safer - But I still think the most logical route would have been to walk along the pavement and not through the common

The Common is a short cut and if, as has been thought, she kept to the A205 that would have through traffic and be lit.

 

[Firstsnow4]

I don’t know if LE are just using it as an opportunity to express caution, or whether their working theory is a stranger attack, when they publicly appealed for women to take care when out (source: Cops warn ‘be careful when out alone’ after Sarah Everard vanishes off street)

They could be working on a theory or they could be using it as a smokescreen to catch the perp out by giving them a false sense of security

 

[Lod76]

@Lod76

Yes, the police will be withholding certain facts, you can be sure. For one, why this has a “complex nature", when you would have thought the basics were quite uncomplex: young woman leaves friend's house to walk home and disappears.

What would complicate it, imo, would be facts withheld about SE's personal life and health.

What strikes me about the search though is that it’s still ongoing and broadening, which is good of course as you don’t want to miss evidence. But it does sort of imply that the police don’t have a very specific idea of what happened and where it likely happened.

Which is really surprising given the limited timeframe and area and the amount of cctv and potential witnesses.

 

[Parmalade]

They could be working on a theory or they could be using it as a smokescreen to catch the perp out by giving them a false sense of security

Fair point. I’ve also edited my post to capture that the article actually seems to cover a single officer being quoted secondhand when doorknocking, so might be a general thing to say and a red herring to us in the absence of a formal statement by LE to the media on this.

 

[prebelfan]

A general question I had. In other missing person cases LE has made a point of saying when they know that a cell phone runs out of battery as opposed to when it is deliberately turned off. Not sure what info tells them that or if they could tell here.

For this case, the only report is that her cell phone last pinged at Clarence. Nothing about the phone otherwise - whether it was powered down or ran out of battery. Why is that? Does that suggest that she put her phone in airplane mode at that point?

recent iPhone models don't have headphone jacks so she would have connected through BT. If one triggers airplane mode while connected, the connection is usually lost. So if she triggered airplane mode, I am skeptical it was intended.

Putting an iPhone into airplane mode actually keeps Bluetooth connections to devices and WiFi on (unless you then manually turn them off too).

 

[sundaythrower]

@Lod76

Yes, the police will be withholding certain facts, you can be sure. For one, why this has a *“complex nature", when you would have thought the basics were quite uncomplex: young woman leaves friend's house to walk home and disappears.

What would complicate it, imo, would be facts withheld about SE's personal life and health.

* Sarah Everard: new CCTV footage of missing woman emerges

Would it be quite contradictory for them to suggest the “complex nature” was in regards to her mental health when her friends and family have already released statements saying she was happy and healthy? If they knew it was complex because of that then surely they wouldn’t have made a point of saying she was happy and well publicly? From past similar stories of people with mental health struggles who go missing etc, they make more a point of saying they are vulnerable. JMO

 

[davidt]

A few people have made this comment. However, I think it's complex because she has vanished off the streets of London and no one knows or is saying any reason why that might have happened, and they haven't found any evidence as to what has happened to her.

Hundreds of CCTV to talk to, many potential witnesses to track, acquaintances to interview, no evidence of a body, no indication that she has gone voluntary missing.

As someone said upthread, Missing Persons cases are usually solved within 24-48 hours. The team assigned at the beginning - from the 'my friend has gone missing' phonecall - are allocated to a Missing Persons enquiry, they deploy Search and Rescue etc etc. It is clearly more complex than your standard missing persons case.

ETA: what I mean is, I wouldn't infer from this that Sarah had a 'complicated' life, or that there are hidden complexities. Having said that, of course we all have complicated lives, and I'm sure there are many things they aren't telling us!

Oh absolutely. I just think using the word complex is going to cause speculation. Baffling, mystery, difficult might be better. Complex has connotations. The details to date are not that different to many other sadly missing person cases and its not often the word complex is used which is is why I wonder if there's a bit more to it. A friend of mine disappeared in to thin air many years ago. That one had a happy ending albeit ten years later. I don't remember anyone saying it was complex. You're probably quite right though!

 

[martinwatts5]

The police describing the investigation as ‘complex’ is interesting. I’m sure all cases have their complications but this makes it sound like they have some evidence or a sighting that they cannot fit in with the events of the evening.

 

[davidt]

Would it be quite contradictory for them to suggest the “complex nature” was in regards to her mental health when her friends and family have already released statements saying she was happy and healthy? If they knew it was complex because of that then surely they wouldn’t have made a point of saying she was happy and well publicly? From past similar stories of people with mental health struggles who go missing etc, they make more a point of saying they are vulnerable. JMO

I would have said that about my friend who disappeared. He had what I thought was a really contented happy and simple life. Knew him all my life and one day he just disappeared when he was supposed to be going on holiday. He reappeared about ten years later having started a new life in London. He was a quiet country boy in the south west previously. I doubt you would have found a single family member or friend who would have said anything other than he was living a happy and healthy life at the time. Nobody knew any different. We humans are strange people and you can never tell.

 

[Cole Chasen]

From my perspective exactly that has indeed been happening on this thread and I mentioned it to my partner in frustration just this evening. Describing council housing as eg 'ominous' and 'containing crack dens' is extremely unhelpful, in my opinion. And sadly it doesn't just occur on this thread.

Yep, completely. Total dog whistle stuff, really sad.

 

[SouthLondon85]

Morning all - question for fellow locals, did anyone else hear what seened to be a lot of helicopter activity around 2am? I had a lot of trouble sleeping and could have sworn that was what I heard, for about an hour.

 

[prebelfan]

A few people have made this comment. However, I think it's complex because she has vanished off the streets of London and no one knows or is saying any reason why that might have happened, and they haven't found any evidence as to what has happened to her.

Hundreds of CCTV to talk to, many potential witnesses to track, acquaintances to interview, no evidence of a body, no indication that she has gone voluntary missing.

I think you are spot on here. IMO we should not get too hung up on the word complex. It’s a standard police term for cases like these, to set expectations. The ‘complex’ quote came from police when they needed to upscale resources and bring in specialist units (divers, dogs)

“The case continues to be treated as a missing person’s inquiry, but because of its complex nature and concerns for Sarah’s welfare, the Met’s Specialist Crime Command has taken the lead.”​

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Would it be quite contradictory for them to suggest the “complex nature” was in regards to her mental health when her friends and family have already released statements saying she was happy and healthy? If they knew it was complex because of that then surely they wouldn’t have made a point of saying she was happy and well publicly? From past similar stories of people with mental health struggles who go missing etc, they make more a point of saying they are vulnerable. JMO

There are always things that come out later that fit the picture. There was something that occurred to me, as maybe to others, but which can't be discussed here, that it might relate to. But obviously just speculation.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

[with live video]

BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) tweeted at 8:22 am on Tue, Mar 09, 2021:
Police have spoken to over 750 people during their search for Sarah Everard.
BBC News Correspondent, Katharine Carpenter told #BBCBreakfast more about the investigation.
More here:
Sarah Everard: Police speak to 'over 750 people' as search continues https://t.co/mzKXOcOCkk

(https://twitter.com/BBCBreakfast/status/1369202032872153091?s=03)

 

[G1712]

I have been looking at some CCTV from the links provided and the only thing I have found that looks anything like her is below. Looks like a light coloured hat and potentially a light coloured jacket being removed. Trainers seem a bit too light and trousers too dark however. Probably nothing.

https://archive.tfljamcams.net/archive/Brixton_Hill__Lambert_Rd/2021-03-04/2021-03-04@02_36GMT.jpg

 

[Cardgame]

I don't want to derail the thread, I just think we just need to be careful of ongoing speculation that the reason why the police are saying 'the case is complex' is because of anything to do with Sarah as a person.

If anything, aspects like 'mental health' or personal troubles would make the police look at this case as less complex, as it would offer them a simpler explanation as to why someone has gone missing.

In missing persons cases mental health is often involved. People often have personal trouble, or financial trouble. In this case, we are being told Sarah was happy and healthy and about to start a new job. I'm going to accept that because I can't think of a reason why either family or police would lie about it. And I don't believe they would be investigating on this scale if they had any reason to suspect otherwise.

Signs indicate that Sarah has been a victim, and has not gone missing voluntarily. Her mental health - good or bad - is therefore, in my opinion, completely irrelevant.

Rant over. Not going to continue to bang this drum. Sorry.

 

[Acorunadepor]

Google Maps

As mentioned upthread she also could have taken the B221.

IMO I dont think she even made it to Clarence Ave.

 

[prebelfan]

Morning all - question for fellow locals, did anyone else hear what seened to be a lot of helicopter activity around 2am? I had a lot of trouble sleeping and could have sworn that was what I heard, for about an hour.

The helicopter was hovering at 2am over a specific place for about 20mins above Streatham. A little further south than the focussed search area, so I’m not sure it’s related.