Cold case plea to old cops
New investigation over 40 years on
Retired detectives are being urged to help cold case officers invest i gate the disappearance of a teenage girl more than 40 yea rs ago.
Mary Duncan, 17, was last seen in March 1976 when she left home after telling her family she was going to see friends.
Police Scotland’s Major Investigations Team launched a fresh probe last year after new information emerged.
Now the force has asked former of f icers in the Strathclyde Police Serious Crime Squad between 1976 and 1979 to come forward.
They issued the appeal on social media used by retired officers. One of the sites – Semper Vigilo, Strathclyde Police’s motto – has more than 4 0 0 0 users. They were urged to cal l the Operation Senator incident room in Dumbarton. No details were given. But the Mail can reveal detectives want to speak to off icers involved in Mary ’s case.
Detective Superintendent Calum Young said: “We are appealing for any off icers who worked on t he or i g i n a l investigation into Mary’s disappearance to contact us.”
Squad members were based at force HQ in Pitt Street, Glasgow. One retired off icer said: ” We helped out local police and CID. We were often called in if an investigation was in difficulties or had hit a brick wall.
“The investigation team will be hoping old cops can recall information that may not be in the files.”
Mary, who would have been 60 this year, disappeared from her home in Bonhi l l ,
Dunbartonshire. In April, police searched the former home of her stepfather, jailed sex offender Norman Duncan, half a mile away. Pol ice have spoken to Duncan, 73, jailed for five years in 2016 for abusing girls aged eight to 15 in the 60s and 70s.
Mary had a 13-monthold daughter, Laura, who died after she vanished. In January, police dug up land in nearby Alexandria. Police want people who worked at Vale of Leven Hospital in 1976 to get in touch. Mary’s sisters – Debbie Renwick, Mandy Duncan and Mar ion McFa r lane – a l so appealed for help.
Mary was wearing a nav y sk i r t , bla ck plat forms, a g reen hoodie and a black and white dogtooth check coat when last seen.