Missing mum Victoria Taylor's belongings found in park near river where vanished (original) (raw)

Victoria Taylor, 34, disappeared on September 30 from Malton in North Yorkshire sparking a major search for the mum-of-one and now police have given an important update

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Police issue update in search for missing Victoria Taylor

Police have issued a major update about mum Victoria Taylor who has been missing now for 10 days from a North Yorkshire town.

Victoria, 34, vanished from her family home in Malton, North Yorkshire, leaving behind her fiancé Matthew and their two-year-old daughter on September 30. She was seen on CCTV purchasing a drink at the M&S based at the local BP garage on Welham Road at 11.35am that day.

And then Victoria was captured on CCTV at 11.53am at Malton Bus Station on Railway Street. To date, this is the last confirmed sighting of Victoria.

The image shows her wearing a black Adidas puffer jacket with stripes down the sides, blue jeans, camouflage cap and pink/salmon Vans backpack. She is also carrying an unknown item which appears to be a bag.

Speaking today, head of local policing for North Yorkshire Constabulary, Chief Superintendent Fiona Willey, said: "In the last 24 hours, we have also recovered further CCTV footage which shows Victoria walking towards the play park on Riverside Walk at 12.30pm. Various items that belong to Victoria have been recovered from this location."

Victoria Taylor has been missing for 10 days

She added: "Since receiving the initial report that Victoria is missing, we have made every effort to find her. Previous releases of information made by North Yorkshire Police highlight the scale of enquiries undertaken to date and I would like to reiterate that, based on current information, no indication of any form of third-party involvement has been established. This remains a missing person enquiry.

"As with any investigation, we remain open minded and will continue to explore all lines of enquiry. Based on the discovery of Victoria’s belongings so close to the water’s edge, we must accept the significant possibility that Victoria has entered the River Derwent."

Over the past 10 days, police have undertaken extensive enquiries in the search to find the mum-of-one. The investigation has involved the collection and review of CCTV footage and passive data research. They have searched key areas of both land and water and interviewed several witnesses.

Family friend Charlotte Cundill set up ‘The search for Victoria Taylor’ page on Facebook to give updates on the investigation. In the latest post today, she said how much Victoria’s daughter and partner "needed" her. She wrote: “Her baby girl needs her mummy and her partner needs her kind heart back home safe and well.”

Charlotte also said that the search will not end until Victoria is found. She wrote: “Day 10, we miss you so much. I think it's safe to say you have touched a lot of hearts within this town. We will not give up until we find you. Your [sic] an inspiration to a lot of people and it really does show. Please keep handing posters out, please keep searching (meet up point today is train station between 9 and 9:30) please keep hope. Please stay safe.”

And finally, for the volunteers who are helping to look for Victoria, she added: “Thank you for everything you have all done so far and continue to do. We appreciate you all so much.”

Police on the banks of the River Derwent during the search operation (

Image:

Asadour Guzelian)

Ch Supt Willey's statement in full

"Today, we continue to search for 34-year-old Victoria Taylor who is known locally as Vixx, and is still missing from her home in the Norton area of Malton.

"I’m here today to provide an update to the local community on the police response to find Victoria. But firstly, I wanted to acknowledge the unimaginable level of distress that Victoria’s family are going through following her disappearance nine days ago. We have put specialist officers in place to link in directly with the family to support them and keep them updated with our strategy and any developments. The family are supportive of the police response, and we are working together in our efforts to find Victoria.

"Victoria left her home at 9am on Monday 30 September. She was then seen on CCTV at 11.35am at the BP garage on Welham Road in Norton, where we know she purchased several items. We have a further confirmed sighting of Victoria, which was captured at 11.53am on the Monday at Malton Bus Station on Railway Street. Victoria is seen to be carrying a bag which we believe contains the items from the BP garage. Additional witness evidence supports the fact that Victoria did not enter the station and we have no reason to believe that she used public transport at that time.

"In the last 24 hours we have also recovered further CCTV footage which shows Victoria walking towards the play park on Riverside Walk at 12.30pm. Various items that belong to Victoria have been recovered from this location.

"Since receiving the initial report that Victoria is missing, we have made every effort to find her. Previous releases of information made by North Yorkshire Police highlight the scale of enquiries undertaken to date and I would like to reiterate that, based on current information, no indication of any form of third-party involvement has been established. This remains a missing person enquiry.

The mum was spotted buying a drink at a shop on the day she disappeared (

Image:

PA)

Victoria was pictured holding a bag (

Image:

PA)

"Searches are currently taking place of the river, these searches have been above surface and underwater. The team are using specialist sonar equipment, which gives officers a view below the surface. The river search is a slow and complex task, and the team are working methodically in difficult conditions. The use of this specialist resource will continue in the coming days, and we are very much supported in this work by national policing advisors.

"Additional specialist police search officers are using drones to scour the rural areas close to where Victoria’s possessions were found. Over the coming days we will continue with our searches to find Victoria and ensure that we are doing all we can to support her family. Understandably, the disappearance of Victoria has shocked the local community and the family take comfort in the overwhelming amount of support from people both locally and further afield.

"We have seen a small amount of misinformation and speculation, which is not helpful and is causing unnecessary anguish to Victoria’s family at this incredibly difficult time. Victoria’s family have made clear on various social media platforms, following the sharing of inaccurate information, their wish to work only with North Yorkshire Police in our efforts to locate Victoria and they have I asked that I take this opportunity to reiterate their position.

"Finally, we have taken advice on a national level to ensure that we are doing all we can to achieve the best possible outcome for Victoria and her family. As Head of Local Policing for North Yorkshire Police I have every confidence in our ongoing response to this missing person search."