Missing Sussex boy found after Twitter search (From The Argus)
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Missing Sussex boy found after Twitter search
2:20pm Tuesday 20th July 2010 in News By Tim Ridgway
A missing boy was found after a search involving an army of web savvy residents.
Users of Twitter in Worthing, Portslade and Hove were mobilised on foot, bikes and in cars after a 13-year-old boy went missing from his home.
Thousands of tweets – short messages of up to 140 characters in length posted on users’ profiles – were sent across the globe.
It included a response from multimillionaire businessman and Dragon’s Den star Duncan Bannatyne.
The appeal, which urged people to “check of alleyways, back gardens, nearby parks”, was led by Worthing-based artist Dan Thompson.
The description put on the internet stated: “Missing Aaron H, young-looking 13 yrs old, looks very mod - slim, Weller hair, dark blue jeans, blue T. Missing Worthing/ Hove.”
The appeal stated the youngster was last seen near Bunce’s hardware store in Chapel Road, Worthing on Saturday about 5pm.
News spread on the internet about 6pm on Sunday.
Searches were made of Marine Gardens and Steyne Gardens in Worthing, in addition to near his father’s home in Salisbury Road, Hove.
Officers from Sussex Police checked hospitals, contacted neighbouring forces and called a friend's address where the missing person was believed to have been staying.
The Patcham High pupil was found at a friend’s house in Vale Road, Portslade about 11pm on Sunday.
He was returned to his father's house shortly afterwards.”
A spokesman for Sussex Police, said: “As shown in this case, the internet provides a great way to spread messages very quickly.
“When people go missing, families and friends are usually keen to be involved in the search.
“We will always carry out our own enquiries, but we also welcome families and friends helping us search and can advise them where best to focus their efforts.”
He added the force already uses Twitter for appeals alongside its wider media activity.
Comments(8)
smegbuster
says...
3:01pm Tue 20 Jul 10
...I think really we'd need a few more details filled in before we can say whether or not they handled this appropriately.
Tally Ho!
says...
3:48pm Tue 20 Jul 10
smegbuster wrote:MY APOLOGIES! I was just going on their past performance. (http://www.mypolice
Now... I am not an expert, but perhaps, just ... perhaps, they were trying all of these options CONCURRENTLY rather than waiting for one line of enquiry to end before starting the next - eg, while they were struggling to get a reply from where he might have been staying (perhaps because they were out and about) they were still trying hospitals etc just in case. But then, all the knockers like to look to interpret the reports in a way that will reinforce their own stereotypes / prejudices / animosities; and the fewer facts in the report, the easier it is to back up their own assumptions.
...I think really we'd need a few more details filled in before we can say whether or not they handled this appropriately.
.org.uk)
Look at the rating for SOLVED CRIMES.. or CRIMES INVOLVING SERIOUS INJURY.....or even CAR CRIMES or ..... well You can see how I made a mistake.
Pip PIP!
cheezburger
says...
3:51pm Tue 20 Jul 10
Tally Ho!
says...
5:04pm Tue 20 Jul 10
Jo Wadsworth
says...
5:25pm Tue 20 Jul 10
neil_hove
says...
10:00am Wed 21 Jul 10
Surely a call to his parents to check this was fine was in order long before the manhunt commenced?
ade1200
says...
12:19pm Wed 21 Jul 10
neil_hove wrote:I expect you are one of those rare responsible parents who don't allow their under 166s to drink at home too? At least now there are two of us. Boring aren't we?
A 13 year old friend of my son/daughter staying at my house and still there at 11pm on a Sunday evening?
Surely a call to his parents to check this was fine was in order long before the manhunt commenced?
Tally Ho! says...
2:35pm Tue 20 Jul 10
Hospitals
Neighboring Police Forces
.. and then a friends house where he was believed to be staying.
Now...I am not an expert, but perhaps, just... Perhaps, if they had done this in reverse order it might have saved some time!