TRACING THE MISSING

Police lift the lid on steps to track down 12,000 people

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WEST Midlands Police have been working through 12,000 reports of missing people in the past year.

The force has revealed what its specialist missing person investigation team does to track down people who have disappeared.

A spokesman said: "That might be someone you know, a family member, or maybe someone whose picture you've seen on our social media.

"As well as investigating reports of someone going missing, we're committed to working with families and our partner agencies to stop it from happening in the first place".

With that in mind, the force has revealed how it investigate these reports, and how it tries to find people.

Q: What is a missing person?

A: Anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established will be considered as missing until located and their wellbeing established.

Not everyone who fits that definition will be classed as missing, as adults in the UK have a right to go missing, unless under a legal obligation, but anyone reported missing will be followed up.

Q: How do I report someone missing?

A: You can report someone missing via the police website or by calling 101.

If the missing person is in immediate danger, a young child, or vulnerable to harm, call 999 immediately.

Q: What happens when I report someone missing?