A friend of my Dad has gone missing in Kentish Town, London where he lives. He’s in his 60s, an alcoholic and recently come in to some money. His phone is dead and he isn’t at home (where he usually drinks) for at least a week. The only family member we are aware of has reported him missing.
I’m not in the area but was trying to think of how my dad could help! Any advice?
(I’m not sure if I’ve put this thread in the right place)
Few things I may recommend:
Even though he was reported officially missing do ask police for welfare check - inside of his house/flat - just to make sure he is not there. Unfortunately it is often not done.
Most effective - flyers at local area - around where he lives, tube stations, bus stations, pubs, local Metro newspaper, Local Evening Standard
As you have stated he overuses alcohol so he should be classed automatically as vulnerable missing person and alerts should be sent out to public by police and Missing People org charity.
Call Missing People Org - official charity for missing people - to list him there but most importantly ask them to send out media appeal. They have massive online and offline reach and followers. Once he is in their database, they make automatically proffesional flyers for that person too, which you can print out and distribute online or real life.
Whatever flyer you choose make sure that phone number on the flyer is NOT anyone personal number but rather police number assigned to the case or Missing People org number (they have dedicated phone line). That is for security reason (long story). Don't forget to state when and where he went missing from. I see so many flyers without these most important information. Also do not state he went missing e.g Monday, but rather full date (day, month, year)
Other general things which I recommend on my own page and you or anyone else can use:
*** Reporting a missing person and the process to find them ***
Report the missing person immediately!
List of information that you need to provide the police when you file your report:
- Two or three current or most recent photos of the person
- Nicknames or aliases of the person
- Physical description that includes height, weight, age, hair color, eye color, and build.
- List of possessions the person might be carrying, such as jewelry, glasses, contact lenses, accessories, a purse, a wallet, ID cards, etc.
- List of scars, tattoos, and other identifying marks
- List of medications the person was taking, any allergies they may have, handicaps, or other medical conditions.
- List of relatives or friends of the missing person, along with their contact information
- A list of places the person frequents
- A description of the person’s car or a different mode of transportation
- A description of the situation surrounding the person’s disappearance, if applicable.
How to search for the person on your own
When you’ve contacted all of the other resources and law enforcement to help find the missing person, you can also look for the person on your own. Contact the person’s friends and acquaintances, ask when they last saw him or her, call anyone who had regular contact with the person. Keep a log of the people you spoke to as well, encourage them to call you back, and report your new findings to the police department.
You can also check with local hospitals, asking for the missing person by name, or ask if they have any unidentified people in their care who might resemble your missing person. In tragic cases or to rule out the possibility, you can also contact the coroner or medical examiner in your community.
You should also check your local jails, in case the missing person had an encounter with law enforcement and was arrested. Check to see if the missing person was incarcerated, you should be able to check online using “inmate locator” tools on most law enforcement websites.
Check their social media to gain information about what led up to their disappearance, or to see if they’ve been active at all. Print out correspondence and activity that seems suspicious and report any suspicious activity you see to the police.
You can also put up fliers with a picture and description of the missing person, hanging them up in prominent locations around town or around your neighborhood. Include a recent photograph, the person’s age, a physical description, the date he/she went missing, and a phone number.
Ask people to spread the word about the missing person on social media. Post their picture and a description. The more people that become aware, the better chances of finding them.
Keep it basic but something that would catch the eye while waiting to get served
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