Our lost souls: Police launch new effort to find missing people | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

A new missing persons website may hold the key to solving some of Rotorua's most well-known missing persons cases.

Police have launched a Missing Persons website featuring profiles of current and historical missing people, including three - Phillip Kingi, Francesca Martin and Robert Te Paewhenua Roberts - who went missing from the Bay of Plenty.

Although not all of Rotorua's missing persons cases feature on the website, police say family members who want their loved ones listed on the page can contact them and they will list their profiles too.

Mr Kingi, who was described as being 180cm tall, of large build and had tattoos on his chest and shoulder, mysteriously disappeared in December 2005 somewhere between Rotorua and Auckland.

The 47-year-old left his brother's Rotorua house to head home to Auckland about 1am on December 14.

He was supposed to meet another family member there the next morning for breakfast but did not show up.

Ms Martin has been missing from Taupo since April 20, 2005.

Mr Roberts has been missing from Kaimai Ranges since November 30, 2004.

All three missing persons profiles are listed on the newly launched police Missing Persons website.

Detective Sergeant Linda Simpson, head of the Police Missing Persons Unit, hoped some of the country's missing persons cases would be solved by people seeing the website.

"Someone might know something from years ago," Mrs Simpson said.

"Even if we just solve one case it will be worth it," she said.

"We are hoping that having accessible information and photographs will jog people's memories when we ask for public assistance.

"The information can be relayed back to the police anonymously through the site."

The website features information and photographs of current and historical missing persons cases.

Only cases where family have given consent to publish information will feature on the police website.

Mr Kingi's disappearance was just one investigated by Rotorua police.

Other missing persons cases investigated by Rotorua police include Tewhai Brown who went missing in 1996, Lance Kapua who was last seen in 1989, Tauranga taxman Pat Fisk who was last seen in 1956, Heidi Charles who went missing in 1976, and Mona Blades who went missing in 1975.

These missing persons cases have not been listed on the website.

However, if family members of these missing people would like their loved ones to appear on the website, they can contact police.

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Loper of the Rotorua police said Rotorua's unsolved missing persons cases had received a lot of publicity in the past and they remained open.

He was keen to hear from people who had new information.

"If anyone has any information relating to where these people may be, we'd like to hear from them," Mr Loper said.

Mrs Simpson said family members of missing Rotorua people who want their loved ones included in the site can ask to speak to police in Rotorua CIB.

The cases listed on the website do not represent every missing person reported to the New Zealand Police.

Mrs Simpson said police received about 8000 missing persons reports every year.

"Of those reported missing, approximately 95 per cent are found within a short period of time, usually before 14 days, with over 50 per cent located within the first two days," she said.

However, there are more than 350 people who have been missing for more than a year in New Zealand.

To contact Rotorua police phone (07) 348 0099 or anonymously on 0800 TIP OFF.

•  Tewhai Brown was last seen walking along State Highway 33 from her Okere Falls home on Thursday, March 21, 1996.
•  Mona Blades went missing on May 31, 1975, as she was hitch-hiking from Hamilton to Hastings. She was last seen near Taupo.
•  Heidi Charles was a German tourist on holiday in Rotorua. It was New Year's Eve in 1976 when her husband dropped her off in central Rotorua to do some shopping. She was never seen again.
•  Tauranga tax man Pat Fisk vanished from Murupara. On December 5, 1956, the 37-year-old went to the Pekepeke Quarry, 11km from Murupara, where he spoke to the quarry foreman. His car was found the following day at 4am at the top of Tarapounamu Saddle, between Te Whaiti and Ruatahuna.
•  Lance Kapua went missing from his Koutu home in July 1989.