Anorak

Anorak News | Sian O’Callaghan: Media Spreads Fear As Search For Swindon Woman Goes On

Sian O’Callaghan: Media Spreads Fear As Search For Swindon Woman Goes On

by | 24th, March 2011

SIAN O’Callaghan: Anorak’s at-a-glance look at the search for the missing Swindon woman.

The Daily Star leads with a photo of the missing Swindon woman. It is the only national newspaper to do so. In place of facts and details it leads with fear:

“No girl’s safe”

Miss O’Callaghan is 22. Does that make her a “girl”? And how is no girl safe?

Inside the paper and Marc Walker has news:

POLICE made a “significant” breakthrough last night in the hunt for missing clubber Sian O’Callaghan.

What was it?

The development came as Chief Inspector Bob Edge of Wiltshire Police warned women in the area not to walk alone after dark.

There is no record of this advice on the police website. In fact, what we do learn is that there is an increased police presence in Swindon. Might not that mean women, girls, boys and men are safer than before Miss Callaghan vanished?

Says the police:

The enquiry moves on at a rapid pace with significant lines of enquiry being developed. The public have been fantastic in support of the search for Sian O Callaghan and I’m very grateful. I’ve beeen able to use new technological techniques to provide a tighter search parameter and have been able to rule out large areas of the 6 and a half mile radius we have all been searching.

Those tactics are being urgently progressed today by specialists. I may need further support from the public closer to the weekend but for now I would ask that people monitor the force website, media and social networks for my further requests if they are required.’

The Swindon Advertiser features an interview with Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher, who is the senior investigating officer:

Q: How many officers are involved in total – in the major incident room, mobile police station, search teams at Savernake and Lawn?

A: 140.

Q: How many volunteers have come forward to help with searches?

A: Several hundred.

Q: How helpful is social media in a search for a missing person?

A: It is extremely helpful and we are grateful for those who have linked to our website to get the appeal out further afield.

Q: Would you encourage friends and family to get involved and how?

A: They can help by being vigilant and reporting any information they have, helping distribute posters and those who are fit and well helping with the searches.

Q: Have all business that Sian visited during the night offered their CCTV?

A: Yes they have all been very helpful.

Q: Sian visited two night clubs before she ended up in Suju. Can you name these places or confirm that they were Longs and Baker Street?

A: The Spot and Baker Street.

Q: She also had a meal – can you tell us at which restaurant?

A: The Harvester, on Drove Road.

Q: There are CCTV cameras on the outside of Suju nightclub. Does it show which direction Sian went before she went missing?

A: She went left (towards Wood Street).

Q: Do you believe Sian’s phone is still in the Savernake area?

A: There is no reason to believe that the phone has moved.

Q: Do you have any suspects?

A: We have active lines of enquiry which give me hope that we are getting closer to the truth.

Q: Are you looking at taxi drivers?

A: We are considering all parties who would have been in the area at the time of Sian’s disappearance.

Q: Why did police act so quickly in setting up a missing person appeal less than 24 hours after her disappearance?

A: The assessment was that Sian’s disappearance was so out of character and the fact that we reacted so quickly has given us the best possible chance of finding Sian.

Timeline:

March 18 – Sian O’Callaghan is on a night out in the Old Town area of Swindon, Wiltshire;

March 19: At 2.52am, CCTV spots her leaving the Suju club on the High Street.

March 19: At 3.24am, her live-in boyfriend Kevin Reape sends a text message to her mobile phone. Her phone is traced to Savernake Forest area, near Marlborough, Wiltshire. It is 15 miles from the club.

At 9.45am, Mr Reape calls the police.

March 20 – Police appeal for help.

March 21 – Miss O’Callaghan’s LG E900 Optimus mobile phone is search for in the woods. Mr Reape and Miss O’Callaghan’s family appear at a police press conference.

Mr Reape is ruled out as a suspect.

March 22 – 400 people join the police hunt for the missing woman and clues in Savernake Forest after police appealed for help.
An anonymous benefactor offers a £20,000 reward for information.

March 23 – Police narrow the search.

The story in photos:

10442827

Image 1 of 43

A woman shows her emotion as the police van containing Christopher Halliwell arrives at Swindon Magistrates Court.



Posted: 24th, March 2011 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink