MISSING TEENS DISCOVERED IN CASTLE AT 3AM
TWO missing teenage girls were found in the grounds of Carmarthen Castle in the middle of the night after a frantic search saw police used phone data and CCTV to find them.
The girls, aged 13 and 14, were due to catch a train from Carmarthen and be home by 9.30pm on Bank Holiday Monday. When they didn’t show up 90 minutes later, they were reported as missing to Dyfed-powys Police.
An operation was launched to find them involving 15 police officers, and it centred to begin with around Carmarthen Railway Station. By 2.30am the girls had not been seen for five hours, although members of the public told police that they had seen two girls in the Nott Square area. Finally, shortly before 3am, two PCS spotted them in the grounds of the castle.
TWO missing teenage girls were found in the grounds of Carmarthen Castle in the middle of the night after a frantic search saw police used phone data and CCTV to find them.
The girls, aged 13 and 14, were due to catch a train from Carmarthen and be home by 9.30pm on Bank Holiday Monday, May 31. When they didn’t show up 90 minutes later, they were reported as missing to Dyfed-powys Police.
The friends’ parents were now becoming increasingly concerned as neither girl was able to be contacted on their phones and, due to their ages, they were classed as “high-risk missing people”.
An operation was launched to find them involving 15 police officers, and it centred to begin with around Carmarthen Railway Station as it was believed that they had missed their train back to their homes in the Llanelli area.
Enquiries made at the station gave police a clearer description of the girls and what they were wearing. At this point it was suggested that they had called a taxi firm to pick them up, but enquiries were made to local companies and it was confirmed that nobody had picked them up. CCTV footage then spotted the girls walking from the station towards Carmarthen town centre.
Further digital work established that their phones had last connected to a mast near Tesco, giving a more focused area for officers to concentrate on.
“The parents’ concern was obviously growing for the girls, who were expected home at around 9.30pm and had not been seen or heard from an hour-and-ahalf later,” said sergeant Stuart Davies of Dyfed-powys Police.
“We tasked all available resources to look for them and ensure they were found safely – with searches carried out on the ground, as well as CCTV and phone enquiries.
“While these enquiries gave us more information to work on, the time that had lapsed since the girls were last seen in person or on CCTV was significant, and they were graded as high-risk missing people due to their age. A number of other calls were also being received by the force control room during this time, which required immediate police responses.”
By 2.30am on Tuesday the girls had not been seen for five hours, although members of the public told police that they had seen two girls in the Nott Square area at around 1.30am. Finally, shortly before 3am, two PCS searching for the pair spotted them in the grounds of Carmarthen Castle.
“This was an excellent spot by our colleagues, who found the girls safe and well and took them home to their very relieved families,” added sergeant Davies.
“The way colleagues carried out this search was a superb example of teamwork, starting with very limited information, but showing how diligence and thorough investigation leads to a successful outcome.”