Still missing.
You have to wonder, if he was in the early stages of dementia and multiple carers in a day, how come he wasn't reported missing until two days after he was last seen by them?
Haven't seen any family mobilisation or family appeals in the media or on social media - after 3/4 months missing it's still all police releases. Kind of suggests he was pretty isolated and vulnerable. IMO.
One of the latest appeals from the police is to find a man who Timothy was pictured with in early December. On December 3, CCTV captured images of Timothy in JD, Chelmer Village with another man
He was seen in the company of another man in JD Sport in Chelmsford on 3 December buying trainers.
I'm guessing that's JD Sports - checkout counter maybe? Though he went missing on the 18th December which is a good two weeks after this sighting.
A '50 year old man' being arrested for kidnapping, shortly after they located the bloke above - suggests that's the suspect but not confirmed. Wonder if those trainers were for him or not?
There are a lot of Tim Hatcher - Chelmsford Facebook accounts which all seem to be his, some of them have what look like random scammy friends. Like a couple of female profiles posting Hi
type messages after he mentioned getting a new bank card. Wonder if he's vulnerable to be taken advantage of?
Main FB until 08/2022 - This seemed to be his main one for a long time. Then he made a bunch in relatively short order, maybe a sign of mental decline?
Latest one
......
So Timeline
Tim is 69, keen birdwatcher. Has dementia, mild enough to live alone independently but can get confused. Seen by carers multiple times a day, but seems to travel around Chelmsford himself without issue. Takes daily medication. Has 'no immediate family in Chelmsford' and is described as a
private person, suggesting isolation.
Reported as often seen wandering/ birdwatching around Chelmsford - the Baddow area, around the A1114 and Hylands Park, all walkable. Also Victoria Road 'near water.' may have been Wickford a week prior by bus.
Suggested he might shelter in a bird watching hide, so possibly visits them too - though birdwatching in a high vis seems counterproductive.
Seems a bit of a 'local charecter.' wanders about a lot in his bright high vis and binoculars - IMO the sort of local eccentric you would notice. FB comments seem to suggest he's well known if not known well.
3rd December - seen on CCTV in JD Sports with unnamed man buying trainers. Unknown if same man that was later arrested for kidnapping.
18th December - last seen by carers at some point - guessing from the later CCTV sightings in the morning, unless he goes home and back out.
20th December - Reported missing by carers - Why did it take 2 days if they came multiple times a day? It doesn't say, maybe because he goes out the house a lot? Considering it's incident number 754 for the county I'm going to guess it was reported some time in the morning.
Police grade him as High Risk - Going to be hampered by the two day gap, lack of information on cloths/ direction/ intention/ isolation but the high vis coat has to help.
22nd December - First Police public appeal
27th December - by then reported that search teams have done over 4 square miles including areas of Hylands Park, Meadgate Avenue and around the River Chelmer. Plus 4km stretch of the River Chelmer by canoe.
From a wide CCTV scope they track his movements:
18th December - This
CCTV image was taken in the Co-op in Meadgate Avenue at
2.40pm.
18th December (some time between 2:40pm - midnight) - goes to The Star pub on Baddow Road at for indeterminate amount of time
18th December - afternoon??
Police release these 'updated photos' of Tim on the 23rd December. Comparing it to the CCTV below, it appears to be the same Aldi on parkway, but earlier in the day. He seems to enter and buy what looks like milk. - am guessing this is after co-op as he doesn't have the bag, though obviously has money for milk. (Though police didn't update the co-op being the last sighting until the evening CCTV, so maybe this was earlier than that.)
18th December -
after 10pm seen wandering around (returning to?) the Aldi Store on Parkway by the Army and Navy Rounderbout after it closes - Time not specified but it's dark and Google says the store closes at 10pm, (tries to go in but automatic doors don't open so can assume it's after this time) seems disoriented or drunk and hasn't got the cross body bag visible . Video cuts before a direction of travel is seen. Aldi
CCTV Video
3rd January - Police no longer looking for JD Sports guy
6th January - Police confirm 50 year old man arrested for Kidnapping, later released on bail
19th January - Police close and search Essex Yomenary Way - This news is released on the 18th of January and the report also says: One lane of the eastbound
A1114, Essex Yeomanry Way will be closed from about 9.30am this morning. The closure may be in place throughout the day. - that's a long time to search a small area a month later. Suggests to me they are looking for a body.
Last update by police seems to be 17th February with no new information. He walks all over and wears bright high vis, yet nothing concrete since the 18th December. From general FB comments it seems some locals think they've seen him in the weeks since, but no confirmation by the police that any new sighting is substantial.
.....
It's a strange one to be sure. Usually, in a situation like this the assumption is a dementia patient has wandered off, gotten into difficultly and is in danger from the elements l. However with the arrest and that long disruptive search over a month later, it seems the police have some reason to suspect foul play.
