Australia Australia - Theo Hayez, 18, Belgian backpacker, Byron Bay, June 2019

[Sambam89]

As Via Marple explained above it doesn’t need a SIM (sim can be removed or on airplane mode or wifi ) but it can’t be replaced with another SIM and still use the original Whatsapp account on that phone.

Got it now haha thanks

 

[Rocket333]

Got it now haha thanks

What does this mean for Theo’s phone and the person/s he was communicating with?

 

[Beagle]

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...hers-set-to-take-a-break-20190621-p51zva.html

Detective Inspector Matt Kehoe confirmed there would be "no physical search" for Theo over the weekend, as investigators review the week's efforts. Whether the search resumes on Monday is yet to be determined.

It comes after police admitted this week they are "baffled" by Theo's disappearance. Unlike in many missing persons cases, there is nothing to indicate he was in a troubled mental state, nor has there been any sign of foul play.

The trail quickly went cold after Theo was last seen leaving Cheeky Monkey's bar at 11pm on May 31. He was captured by CCTV heading in the direction of his hostel near Belongil Beach, but it seems that he never made it back there.

 

[Rocket333]

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...hers-set-to-take-a-break-20190621-p51zva.html

Detective Inspector Matt Kehoe confirmed there would be "no physical search" for Theo over the weekend, as investigators review the week's efforts. Whether the search resumes on Monday is yet to be determined.

It comes after police admitted this week they are "baffled" by Theo's disappearance. Unlike in many missing persons cases, there is nothing to indicate he was in a troubled mental state, nor has there been any sign of foul play.

The trail quickly went cold after Theo was last seen leaving Cheeky Monkey's bar at 11pm on May 31. He was captured by CCTV heading in the direction of his hostel near Belongil Beach, but it seems that he never made it back there.

I wish they’d give us another crumb, but guess they can’t for good reasons. I’m tending to think he got a ride, probably off Shirley Street, or near his hostel and possibly willingly. Drove up to the lighthouse and something went down. Wonder if he went into someone else’s room at Wake Up, rather than his own. Hoping for closure.

 

[SouthAussie]

I use WhatsApp. In fact, I use it on two phones using two different accounts, so two different phone numbers.

Whatsapp is very good at verifying phone numbers linked to an account. In fact, if you put a new sim card into a phone, or use a new phone with your sim card, everyone you're chatting with knows your "security details" have changed, and is asked to verify you.

But because what I am doing with my phones lately, I know a loophole.

My old phone has the sim card removed. But Whatsapp still thinks I am using that number, because I have not put in another sim, and just use wifi for data. If I give that phone to someone, or someone took it - knowing the number or the WhatsApp account is only going to track me down, not the actual person using the phone for WhatsApp via wifi. Does this make sense?

If Whatsapp has indeed located the other phone number chatting with Theo, but police has not said anything, it is possible they do have some clue who it is. That is the likely scenario IMO.

That is certainly a loophole. There are probably at least several loopholes, I would think.

I used to buy a cheap o/s SIM for my phone each time I went away and swap SIMs - then swap them back when I got back into this country. I did this to avoid the roaming costs of using my Aussie SIM while I was away.

When I bought the o/s SIM, I did it over the internet and was never required to furnish ID. My 'shopping' email address was enough, and it was delivered to whatever address I supplied. I did this as recently as last year.

This year I am not even doing that. Just using wifi the whole time that I am away. I can use Messenger, FT, FB, FB video calling, order Uber, taxis, take out food, make reservations, etc all over available wifi. If I bothered to set it up on my phone, I could also use VoIP phone calling. Don't even need to use my phone the whole time, can use an iPad which is SIM-less.

I think it is very possible that the police have a strong idea of what has happened to Theo by now. 21 days ....

 

[Rocket333]

That is certainly a loophole. There are probably at least several loopholes, I would think.

I used to buy a cheap o/s SIM for my phone each time I went away and swap SIMs - then swap them back when I got back into this country. I did this to avoid the roaming costs of using my Aussie SIM while I was away.

When I bought the o/s SIM, I did it over the internet and was never required to furnish ID. My 'shopping' email address was enough, and it was delivered to whatever address I supplied. I did this as recently as last year.

This year I am not even doing that. Just using wifi the whole time that I am away. I can use Messenger, FT, FB, FB video calling, order Uber, taxis, take out food, make reservations, etc all over available wifi. If I bothered to set it up on my phone, I could also use VoIP phone calling.

I think it is very possible that the police have a strong idea of what has happened to Theo by now. 21 days ....

Do you reckon it was just routine for Homicide to be called in? Didn’t they come up from Sydney?

 

[SouthAussie]

Do you reckon it was just routine for Homicide to be called in? Didn’t they come up from Sydney?

From memory, there is a certain time period after a person goes missing where Homicide need to be notified. And, of course, called in before then if a homicide is suspected.
Then they make a determination of how involved they get.
Not sure though. If I have time, I will look for a link a bit later - bit fuzzy on that one.

 

[SouthAussie]

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...hers-set-to-take-a-break-20190621-p51zva.html

Detective Inspector Matt Kehoe confirmed there would be "no physical search" for Theo over the weekend, as investigators review the week's efforts. Whether the search resumes on Monday is yet to be determined.

It comes after police admitted this week they are "baffled" by Theo's disappearance. Unlike in many missing persons cases, there is nothing to indicate he was in a troubled mental state, nor has there been any sign of foul play.

The trail quickly went cold after Theo was last seen leaving Cheeky Monkey's bar at 11pm on May 31. He was captured by CCTV heading in the direction of his hostel near Belongil Beach, but it seems that he never made it back there.

This is really sad. I was hoping Theo would be found before this day came.

Too many young people going missing, all presumed to have gone into the water and never washed up or found. But sometimes I wonder.

 

[Via Marple]

Thank you for this insight. I did not realise it would still work without the SIM inserted.

So in this case the phone would have to had to be given to someone (perp) and they only chatted to Theo when using wifi to avoid being found (however original owner found). Is that correct?

You can simulate this by turning off data traffic on your phone, or simply take your sim card out, and see how you may use Whatsapp. As long as the wifi connects to the internet, you're good to go. And Whatsapp still thinks your messages are sent from your mobile number.... if this doesn't work, let me know

Like I said, there is/are ways to cheat but it doesn't mean someone did, just because they could. I still think the likelihood is the police should know who the recipient was. But Aron may disagree! If there is really some serial predator around, it can't be too hard to find a lost cheap mobile and take up the owner's identity (perhaps a tourist's) and use it.

 

[Via Marple]

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...hers-set-to-take-a-break-20190621-p51zva.html

Detective Inspector Matt Kehoe confirmed there would be "no physical search" for Theo over the weekend, as investigators review the week's efforts. Whether the search resumes on Monday is yet to be determined.

It comes after police admitted this week they are "baffled" by Theo's disappearance. Unlike in many missing persons cases, there is nothing to indicate he was in a troubled mental state, nor has there been any sign of foul play.

The trail quickly went cold after Theo was last seen leaving Cheeky Monkey's bar at 11pm on May 31. He was captured by CCTV heading in the direction of his hostel near Belongil Beach, but it seems that he never made it back there.

BBM

I guess after all the intensive searches, assuming the police knows things that they haven't told, and they still don't find any sign of foul play - it is some sort of good news for the locals, they are not likely looking at a homicide. And poor Theo might have an accident and may turn up one day. Not saying alive

 

[Nebula]

I wish they’d give us another crumb, but guess they can’t for good reasons. I’m tending to think he got a ride, probably off Shirley Street, or near his hostel and possibly willingly. Drove up to the lighthouse and something went down. Wonder if he went into someone else’s room at Wake Up, rather than his own. Hoping for closure.

They really haven't released much info. I'd like to see the Shirley St. footage. I wonder how sure the family are that it's him. I'd also like to know exactly why he was kicked out of the bar early. Surely they wouldn't kick you out unless you were causing a problem. Maybe an argument?

I think he was definitely with someone/other people after the bar...

 

[Nebula]

They really haven't released much info. I'd like to see the Shirley St. footage. I wonder how sure the family are that it's him. I'd also like to know exactly why he was kicked out of the bar early. Surely they wouldn't kick you out unless you were causing a problem. Maybe an argument?

I think he was definitely with someone/other people after the bar...

At this point I believe that he was with another person/other people.

He left the bar and decided to head back to the hostel. He was 15min walk away (assuming the Shirley St. footage and sighting are correct). I don’t believe he would then decide to head up to the Cape in the dark, by himself. It would have taken an hour or more to walk up there and he wouldn’t know the area as he hadn’t been in town very long. And why walk up there at ∼11.30pm? If he was planning to see the sunrise he’d have to stand around in the dark and cold until ∼6.30am.

So, either he went up there with other people. Perhaps in a car. Or somebody has taken his phone up there...

 

[SouthAussie]

They really haven't released much info. I'd like to see the Shirley St. footage. I wonder how sure the family are that it's him. I'd also like to know exactly why he was kicked out of the bar early. Surely they wouldn't kick you out unless you were causing a problem. Maybe an argument?

I think he was definitely with someone/other people after the bar...

As Theo had just come from a rowdy nightclub with fun, music. laughter, lots of other young people, being ejected may not have diminished that party feeling in him. He may have wanted to go on and do something else, for sure.

 

[Via Marple]

As Theo had just come from a rowdy nightclub with fun, music. laughter, lots of other young people, being ejected may not have diminished that party feeling in him. He may have wanted to go on and do something else, for sure.

It was Friday night. The CBD was still buzzing with people and fun. He might be heading home to the hostel, but by the time he approached, he might find the whole street dark and quiet. His mates were still at Cheeky Monkeys. Anyone still there might have plans early the next day, and were ready for bed. What would he do? He did not enter his room, that's for sure.

In less than a hour, he was somewhere relaxed enough to be messaging someone in Belgium. Did he not have someone local to talk to? Was anyone around him by now, or was he still alone? In someone's room, sitting on the beach, in someone's car?

When his hostel mates returned later that night, they did not run into him.

He was not spotted again by cctv back towards town after disappearing at 11ish, unless the police is not telling.

His phone however kept pinging around Byron, until stopping somewhere near Cape Byron and the lighthouse, more than 12 hours later.

Now the police is suspending this search. No sign of phone, no sign of him, no sign of foul play.

At this point I believe that he was with another person/other people.

He left the bar and decided to head back to the hostel. He was 15min walk away (assuming the Shirley St. footage and sighting are correct). I don’t believe he would then decide to head up to the Cape in the dark, by himself. It would have taken an hour or more to walk up there and he wouldn’t know the area as he hadn’t been in town very long. And why walk up there at ∼11.30pm? If he was planning to see the sunrise he’d have to stand around in the dark and cold until ∼6.30am.

So, either he went up there with other people. Perhaps in a car. Or somebody has taken his phone up there...

I was thinking he went up there to wait for sunrise, but now I agree and tend to think it pretty silly to walk up there early and wait for a few hours. Not to mention the path must be really dark and lonely at that time. Unless he has company. Going there in a car.... Seems more plausible.

But someone who knows him well have to answer that question. Everyone is different and spends their time in different ways.

 

[Sambam89]

Has anyone seen more info on the person who contacted him after he was reported missing re the bike for sale? Someone mentioned it a few pages back. Does that mean he responded after he was last seen, or days later after he was reported missing?

 

[Surfingsunflower]

Has anyone seen more info on the person who contacted him after he was reported missing re the bike for sale? Someone mentioned it a few pages back. Does that mean he responded after he was last seen, or days later after he was reported missing?

His family have access to his Facebook, so the message was ‘seen’ by his sister Lisa. It’s in the FB group, if you search ‘bike’ it comes up and she confirms herself that it was her that had seen the message.

 

[Sambam89]

His family have access to his Facebook, so the message was ‘seen’ by his sister Lisa. It’s in the FB group, if you search ‘bike’ it comes up and she confirms herself that it was her that had seen the message.

Ohhh I see, thanks!

 

[Micheline]

As Theo had just come from a rowdy nightclub with fun, music. laughter, lots of other young people, being ejected may not have diminished that party feeling in him. He may have wanted to go on and do something else, for sure.

But with whom?
He had just arrived there, no number of friends available to meet up with.
His only friend and the people from the hostel were in the bar.
He also had nothing planned for that night, since he was at the bar, so soon as he was asked to leave, there was no follow up scenario or friends.

Maybe he wanted another drink, tried to find another bar or something.

 

[Via Marple]

His family have access to his Facebook, so the message was ‘seen’ by his sister Lisa. It’s in the FB group, if you search ‘bike’ it comes up and she confirms herself that it was her that had seen the message.

Sorry but nothing comes up for me!

 

[bearbear]

His family have access to his Facebook, so the message was ‘seen’ by his sister Lisa. It’s in the FB group, if you search ‘bike’ it comes up and she confirms herself that it was her that had seen the message.

so did he or someone reply to the message about the bike, after he was reported missing?