Two Locate International profiles featured in The Guardian
Journalist Amelia Hill shadows Locate volunteer teams to find out more about the work we are doing to reinvestigate long term missing and unidentified cases.
[April 2023]
Locate International has been featured in two articles in The Guardian, both written by journalist Amelia Hill. The first article, published on April 2nd, 2023, explores how Locate International solves cold cases using expert volunteers. The second article, also published on April 2nd, highlights how thousands of UK missing persons cases may be reinvestigated.
The first article delves into the work we are doing, and the innovative approach we take in solving cold cases. We rely entirely on expert volunteers who use their skills and expertise to help find missing persons and identify the unidentified. Our volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds, including law enforcement, academia, and technology, and work together to solve cases that have stumped investigators for years.
Our success in solving cold cases is attributed to our unique approach to investigations. Unlike law enforcement agencies, we are not bound by strict protocols and procedures. This means that our expert volunteers have the freedom to explore different avenues of investigation that may not have been considered by traditional law enforcement agencies.
We are also pleased to announce the launch of a pilot where we will be reinvestigating thousands of UK missing persons cases. There are currently over 3,000 missing persons cases in the UK that have not been resolved. As part of an upcoming pilot, these cases will be reviewed and reinvestigated.
Both articles highlight importance of public awareness in helping to solve missing persons cases, and the cruciality of the public’s support. The more people who are aware of a missing person’s case, the greater the chance that someone with vital information will come forward. Even with cold cases that have remained quiet for decades.
These features in The Guardian shine a spotlight on the crucial work we are doing, and our team of expert volunteers. We are committed to working to solve these cases and bringing closure to families who have been waiting for years to find their loved ones.
You can read the first article here, which touches on our ultimate goal; to investigate every cold case in the UK – finding loved ones if possible, or if not then providing a degree of peace to friends and families with the reassurance that every lead has been exhaustively scrutinised.
The second article, here, covers a new programme still to be launched which will be limited initially to a small number of police forces. In alignment with the National Police Chiefs Council, we will look to reinvestigate all 13,000 cold cases on the National Crime Agency’s UK missing persons unit.