COPS across Glasgow dealt with 29,000 missing person investigations in less than two years, it has been revealed.
Data exclusively obtained by the Glasgow Times shows that officers within the Greater Glasgow Division looked into the thousands of reports from January 1, 2020, to October 31, 2021.
The figures were broken down by age and category following a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
A total of 16,746 of the reports were youths aged 10-19, meanwhile, 418 investigations were regarding children aged 0-9.
At the other end of the scale, 42 pensioners over the age of 90 went missing.
A total of 1012 reports involved those with dementia. Meanwhile, 9460 people suffering from mental health problems were reported missing to police.
More than 1890 of the reports were wanted criminals or absconders, who ran away to avoid prosecution.
Missing children who had been in the care of the local authority resulted in 6882 investigations.
People who are reported missing can quickly return home – but this isn’t always the case.
On October 22 this year, the body of missing student Timothy Chiwaula was found in water next to Glasgow Green.
The 23-year-old had not been seen since October 11, in Old Shettleston Road.
At the time, a Police Scotland spokesperson said: “There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.”
In August, 33-year-old Anthony McCurry was reported missing after being last seen on July 28.
Officers conducted “extensive enquiries” to locate the Blackhill man, but found his body at Almond Street during a search.
His death was first being treated as “unexplained”, but was later ruled non-suspicious.
Meanwhile, Police Scotland is currently investigating numerous long-term missing people cases, such as David Findlay.
The keen walker left his home in Cardonald at around 3pm on Monday, May 5, 2008 – aged 69.
He never returned home, and his family hasn’t seen or heard from him since.
The last confirmed sighting of David was on Sauchiehall Street, at West Nile Street, three hours after he left his house.
Police followed up a number of unconfirmed sightings in Cumbernauld, Coatbridge, Milngavie, Kirkintilloch, Shettleston and Kilsyth. However, all attempts to locate David proved unsuccessful.
On September 18 last year, Govan man Vincent Barr walked across the Tradeston footbridge, also known as the ‘squiggly’ bridge, and hasn’t been seen since.
Extensive enquiries have been carried out but the 54-year-old still remains missing.
Meanwhile, 15-year-old Thanh Van Bui vanished on Friday, June 12, 2015.
The schoolboy, from Pollokshields, also hasn’t been seen since.
Days after his disappearance, Detective Inspector Colin Hailstones, of Cathcart CID, said: “Given Thanh’s age we are concerned about his wellbeing and safety.
“We’ve been following up several lines of enquiry into his current location. As part of this, we have identified that Thanh was within Glasgow Central station around 12.15pm on the day he went missing. He was seen to board a train bound for England.”
Police Scotland works in close partnership with the Missing People Charity, who can be contacted via 116 000 or by visiting the website.
Call police on 101 if you have any information about a missing person.
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