Missing Tia Sharp

Missing Tia's family are split over claims the 12-year-old left home alone... as mother says 'I fear she's been taken'


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Video here of Martin Brunt and search dogs...........

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Plus this tweet from him just now.....

martinbrunt‏@skymartinbrunt

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Scot Yard press conference at 4.30pm with update on the scale of the search for Tia.

How does being a missing people's ambassador square with dismissing a very vital police tool e.g sniffer dogs?

ShuBob wrote:How does being a missing people's ambassador square with dismissing a very vital police tool e.g sniffer dogs?

It doesn't

Jean wrote:You got there before me, Tony! I was picturing our good lady ambassador being totally bewildered at this news - what good will dogs do?

According to Dr Kate McCann's book, 'madeleine', it was all the fault of the incompetent and unprofessional Martin Grime ['madeleine', pp. 249-250, hardback version]:

"The handler directed the dog to a spot behind the couch in the sitting room, close to the curtain. He called the dogs over to him to investigate this particular site. The dogs ultimately 'alerted'. I felt myself starting to relax a little. This was not what I would call an exact science...In medicine we would call this an 'unblinded' study, one that is susceptible to bias...Each time a dog gave a signal, Ricardo [Paiva] would stop the video and inform me that blood had been found in this site and that the DNA from the sample matched Madeleine's. He would stare at me intently and ask me to explain this...Under myself I found myself whispering... [vulgar expletives deleted]

Perhaps, Kate no longer dismisses police dogs out of hand; just Eddie and Keela. We may find out her thoughts soon enough. Missing People have come out in support of the search for Tia and police dogs are now involved. I think it'll be difficult from here on in for her to make negative comments about police dogs in general but knowing she has a brass neck, she may continue as before.

Something is seriously amiss here, but whether a family member is involved or not, I am sure that Tia has come to no harm.

Remember the Shannon Matthews case.

I am sure that the ambassador will make front page news when missing people locate Tia.

Tony Bennett wrote:

Jean wrote:You got there before me, Tony! I was picturing our good lady ambassador being totally bewildered at this news - what good will dogs do?

According to Dr Kate McCann's book, 'madeleine', it was all the fault of the incompetent and unprofessional Martin Grime ['madeleine', pp. 249-250, hardback version]:

"The handler directed the dog to a spot behind the couch in the sitting room, close to the curtain. He called the dogs over to him to investigate this particular site. The dogs ultimately 'alerted'. I felt myself starting to relax a little. This was not what I would call an exact science...In medicine we would call this an 'unblinded' study, one that is susceptible to bias...Each time a dog gave a signal, Ricardo [Paiva] would stop the video and inform me that blood had been found in this site and that the DNA from the sample matched Madeleine's. He would stare at me intently and ask me to explain this...Under myself I found myself whispering... [vulgar expletives deleted]

McCanns themselves requested the dogs, I don't believe that either, but had they, I take it they'd have researched well enough to discover Eddie and Keela were 100% accurate.

Once E&K indicated, all of a sudden, the dogs are notoriously innacurate. Which is it Gerry?

Good subject for a video?

I have just heard on Sky that the grandfather has been taken to police station for questioning. They say he has not been arrested and is going to answer questions as a witness. This from ITV...............

Live news stream



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Police take Tia Sharp's step-grandfather from his house


Tia Sharp’s step-grandfather Stuart Hazell has been taken from his house by detectives investigating her disappearance.

Two plain-clothed officers were seen entering the house Mr Hazell shares with Tia's grandmother in New Addington and left with him five minutes later.

Mr Hazell got into a black car with them which then drove off.

Police said Mr Hazell has not been arrested, but is helping police with their inquiries

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ShuBob wrote:Perhaps, Kate no longer dismisses police dogs out of hand; just Eddie and Keela. We may find out her thoughts soon enough. Missing People have come out in support of the search for Tia and police dogs are now involved. I think it'll be difficult from here on in for her to make negative comments about police dogs in general but knowing she has a brass neck, she may continue as before.

I believe sniffer dogs are OK, it is just those incredibly unreliable blood and cadaver dogs which come up with scurrilous lies about grieving parents.

But where is the nation's Ambassador for Missing People when you need her advice? - she could set the record straight about this and many other matters, such as whether statistically it is correct for the police to focus on the family when a child disappears and for the family then to co-operate fully and quickly so that they can be ruled out of the investigation as soon as possible. I fear her new role may be nothing but a stepping stone to a place in the New Year's Honours List, and that she will not be commenting much on inconvenient truths in the meantime.

I hear Missing People are asking members of the public to contact them in confidence if they have any information regarding Tia's disappearance but don't want to go directly to the police. If someone contacts them with details of Maddie's disappearance, will they run in by Kate first before passing it on to the police?

ShuBob wrote:I hear Missing People are asking members of the public to contact them in confidence if they have any information regarding Tia's disappearance but don't want to go directly to the police. If someone contacts them with details of Maddie's disappearance, will they run in by Kate first before passing it on to the police?

Good point Shubob.

But if someone contacts them and the information would be useful to the police what are Missing people supposed to do. Break confidence? They can urge the informant to go to the police, but if they won't they won't. And we know St Kate's attitude to the police - dont answer questions and dont do reconstructions. this just confirms my fears that this organisation, though well intentioned can sometimes do more harm than good.

pauline wrote:

ShuBob wrote:I hear Missing People are asking members of the public to contact them in confidence if they have any information regarding Tia's disappearance but don't want to go directly to the police. If someone contacts them with details of Maddie's disappearance, will they run in by Kate first before passing it on to the police?

Good point Shubob.

But if someone contacts them and the information would be useful to the police what are Missing people supposed to do. Break confidence? They can urge the informant to go to the police, but if they won't they won't. And we know St Kate's attitude to the police - dont answer questions and dont do reconstructions. this just confirms my fears that this organisation, though well intentioned can sometimes do more harm than good.

Crimestoppers also appeal for information whilst guaranteeing confidence so there must be a mechanism for getting important information to the police even though the informant is reluctant to contact them themselves. My concern with Missing People is that they may pass information to Kate potentially putting her one step ahead of the police just like it seemed to happen when Gerry became close pals with CEOP's Jim Gamble.

I have not been able to get on here much over the past week or so, however I do drop by an watch the new posts, on this one I can only say that although 12 seems young to many of us , 12 is very mature in a lot of families .

The first thing I would say is that a 12 year old girl will NOT leave without her mobile phone , no way , teenage kids and their mobiles are joined at the hip, imagine leaving your phone and anyone could look through your messages !!! no way IMO

That I think is the most alarming thing in this case.

I know someone turning 14 in a couple of weeks. At 11 and 12 she had a phone but you'd always find it lying around, discarded or charging. She just wasn't bothered with it. In the last year she has taken it around with her much more but it's still not in the 'joined at the hip' category. It may be rare but my example shows there ARE kids who don't care that much for their mobiles at 12. Her phone isn't a smartphone and that probably has something to do with it. If it was (complete with Facebook, games, internet, messaging etc) then I'd agree with you. What's the betting that Tia's phone is a bog-standard non-smart-phone?

I hope you're right, ProfessorPplum however I think it's a worry. I've never known my kids to be without one especially if going out. But it's the travel card that worries me. Why would she choose to pay again for fares? Something's not right and I hope she's ok. Just been reading the grandmother hadn't seen her for 24 hours.

One wrote:I hope you're right, ProfessorPplum however I think it's a worry. I've never known my kids to be without one especially if going out. But it's the travel card that worries me. Why would she choose to pay again for fares? Something's not right and I hope she's ok. Just been reading the grandmother hadn't seen her for 24 hours.

I Googled earlier regarding a 14 year old found in woods. I was saddened by how many youngsters end their lives this way. When they went missing, all parents said it was out of character. How tragic that the children thought whatever was bothering them couldn't be sorted. Everything is magnified at that age.

I'm not suggesting the same in this case and hope Tia is found safe and well. I don't see this related to the Karen Matthews case though, as there seems to be no hint of a fund .

I sincerely hope that Tia is found safe & well. Though I doubt it sadly .

The grandmother is quoted somewhere as saying that Tia never went anywhere without her phone and it was difficult to get her off it. So yes I'd say there is cause for concern that she went out without it.

I agree with Candyfloss that we shouldn't be jumping to conclusions yet about anyone in her family.

ShuBob wrote:I hear Missing People are asking members of the public to contact them in confidence if they have any information regarding Tia's disappearance but don't want to go directly to the police. If someone contacts them with details of Maddie's disappearance, will they run in by Kate first before passing it on to the police?

Wait a minute! Petermac will know this, but don't the police get a lot of anonymous tips? There's no need for an organisation one can contact 'in confidence'. Besides, there is no guarantee that one of the volunteers or employees will keep silent, they' haven't taken an oath of any kind.

tigger wrote:

ShuBob wrote:I hear Missing People are asking members of the public to contact them in confidence if they have any information regarding Tia's disappearance but don't want to go directly to the police. If someone contacts them with details of Maddie's disappearance, will they run in by Kate first before passing it on to the police?

Wait a minute! Petermac will know this, but don't the police get a lot of anonymous tips? There's no need for an organisation one can contact 'in confidence'. Besides, there is no guarantee that one of the volunteers or employees will keep silent, they' haven't taken an oath of any kind.

Your post prompted me to look at Crime Stoppers site, hadn't realised they were a charity too. On the giving page they have all statistics relating to their success.

On the Missing People site I can find no such thing, it must be well hidden as I've looked before. I'm sure more people would donate if they made it clear exactly what they do and their rate of success. There are two case histories with no mention of MP involvement, one where they are mentioned but fails to state how they helped and a link to a blog where the poor woman and her family have made mammoth efforts to find her husband in Greece. Still no mention of Missing People though.

I'm sure there's nothing more to it than poor marketing, as surely there are lots of uplifting success stories to tell.

This lady is a good example of using funds to search. Unfortunately, so far unsuccessfully.

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Tia: Police Liaise With Fake Kidnap Squad


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Police hunting for Tia Sharp are liaising with officers who investigated the fake kidnap of Shannon Matthews as the search of bins outside Tia's grandmother's house continues.

Tia, 12, has not been seen since last Friday when she left her grandmother Christine Sharp's home in south London.

Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said officers began searching through bins outside the terraced property this morning, looking for clues or evidence of what happened to Tia.

Police had put a hold on rubbish collections in the area on Monday, but were now checking through hundreds of bins as the investigation entered a new search phase.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] Stuart Hazell was interviewed by police

Two dozen officers are carrying out "minute searches" of the rubbish before it is loaded on to refuse trucks by workers from Croydon Council, Brunt added.

Yesterday, police interviewed her grandmother's boyfriend, Stuart Hazell, as a key witness. It is thought he was the last person to see the schoolgirl.

The 37-year-old was not arrested, and returned two hours later to his partner's home in New Addington, Croydon.

Dozens of officers have joined the hunt for the missing girl, and have searched woodland at the bottom of the estate, some 400 yards from the terraced house.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] The local community has rallied to help search for Tia

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] area commander Neil Basu stressed the investigation remained a missing persons inquiry with no suspects, adding: "I am looking to find Tia safe and well."

He said some officers, who had been helping staff the Olympics, were now part of the search team, which involves 40 detectives and 40 specialist search officers.

"The family want Tia home, they miss her dreadfully," Mr Basu said.

Tia seemingly vanished without a trace after telling relatives she was going to the Whitgift shopping centre in Croydon.

Police revealed yesterday that a member of the public had reported seeing the schoolgirl leaving Mrs Sharp's home at midday on Friday.

The witness told detectives Tia was alone when she left the house, but it was unclear where she was going.

An earlier trawl through hours of CCTV footage found no trace of Tia, who has never gone missing before.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] Messages left at a bus stop in south London

Hundreds of posters appealing for information have been distributed around New Addington, and Tia's face looks out from most local shops and noticeboards.

Timeline of key events:

:: Friday August 3

Tia Sharp is seen leaving her grandmother Christine Sharp's home in New Addington, south east London, at around midday.

The 12-year-old tells relatives she is going to the Whitgift Centre in Croydon town centre.

:: Monday August 6

Tia's family make an emotional plea for her to return home as police find no trace of her on CCTV footage.

:: Tuesday August 7

A CCTV image of Tia outside the local Co-op is released as her grandmother said she hoped it would jog someone's memory.

Police begin searching local woods, scouring the undergrowth with long sticks.

The Sun newspaper offers a £25,000 reward for the safe return of Tia as her stepfather David Niles begs: "Just find my little girl."

:: Wednesday August 8

A police dog unit search Tia's grandmother's house, where it is believed she was last seen.

Metropolitan Police area commander Neil Basu announces that officers have been moved from Olympic duties to form part of an 80-strong team to find Tia.

He says Scotland Yard has received more than 300 calls and 60 reported sightings of Tia.

Mrs Sharp's partner, Stuart Hazell, 37 - believed to be the last person who saw Tia - is questioned by police as a key witness.

:: Thursday August 9

Police search bins outside the home.

Hope you're proved right sharonl, at least she'd be found.

What a surprise... the group of harpies over the way are having a good laugh at the so -called Martin Grimes Circus with the dog act involving yapping , badly behaved Eddie, who was pictured walking ahead of Mr Grimes rather than at heel. They then contrast a well- behaved German Shepherd dog seen on t.v working with its handler in London on the Tia Sharp case. This dog is walking to heel on a lead.
Oh what is this [ wish I could post the photo but will try the link instead as photo not posting]....a few more German Shepherd dogs on the Tia case. all walking on leads with their handlers and only one is walking to heel. The others are not walking to heel, one on fact pulling the handler along. Reminds me of Martin Grime approaching 5a, I think the handlers in London with the dogs must be doing what Mr Grime was doing, getting his dog to switch from walking to working mode, hence allowing the dog to lead.
I wish the bunch over the way would brush up on dog handling and dog behaviour in these circumstances before making such silly comments.
p.s.If I can find the video, I will stand corrected about their ridiculing one of Grimes' dogs paying attention to a bin during a search. Unless the dog gave its normal freeze/silent or bark alert, it was not doing anything other than paying attention to a bin.


[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] 35-45 seconds.
Dog goes to Tia's grandmother's house. Note the handler allowing the dog to walk well in front as the house is approached; the dog also enters before the handler.... in most circumstances an owner enters and leaves a house in front of the dog, to show the owner is dominant. Not in these circumstances.

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more of the dogs, look between 1.20 and 1.35. in front, well in front, of the handlers.

sorry if off topic, but criticism based on ignorance is very annoying.

russiandoll wrote: What a surprise... the group of harpies over the way are having a good laugh at the so -called Martin Grimes Circus with the dog act involving yapping , badly behaved Eddie, who was pictured walking ahead of Mr Grimes rather than at heel. They then contrast a well- behaved German Shepherd dog seen on t.v working with its handler in London on the Tia Sharp case. This dog is walking to heel on a lead.
Oh what is this [ wish I could post the photo but will try the link instead as photo not posting]....a few more German Shepherd dogs on the Tia case. all walking on leads with their handlers and only one is walking to heel. The others are not walking to heel, one on fact pulling the handler along. Reminds me of Martin Grime approaching 5a, I think the handlers in London with the dogs must be doing what Mr Grime was doing, getting his dog to switch from walking to working mode, hence allowing the dog to lead.
I wish the bunch over the way would brush up on dog handling and dog behaviour in these circumstances before making such silly comments.

The script is in Dr Kate McCann's book: 'madeleine'. The script says: "Martin Grime was biased and 'made' his dogs bark". The puppets in the place you refer to are doomed to recycle their rubbish to an audience of no more than 25 a day, nearly all themselves anyway. It's a bit like parrots really. Dr Kate McCann says: 'Martin-Grime-is-in-comp-e-tent-and-bi-ased', and, parrot-like, they just repeat this scurilous and defamataory garbage. Plus, like parasites, there is nothing more they can do but just feed off successful forums like this one! What a situation to find oneself in!

Very slightly O/T but is there any evidence that wearing t-shirts with pictures/details of a missing person printed on it assists the search? Posters and even milk cartons, I can understand but t-shirts?

RD you should not go there! It's bad for your mental health and will cost you a fortune in soap and hot water.

These are ordinary search dogs imo. Nothing to do with Eddie and Keela. As you say the dogs aren't supposed to walk to heel, fat lot of good that would do. It's quite clear they precede the handler and his colleague into the house.

Bu the way, the psychics are taking a long time to arrive - they were in PdL as early as the 4th day, should someone call Amanda Hart?

According to ITV lunchtime news a few minutes ago, the Maddie McCann review cops at Scotland Yard as well as the Shannon Matthews fake kidnap cops have been consulted in the ongoing search for Tia Sharp. I can't imagine the McCnns being happy with the links being (in)directly made.

I've just been watching the ITV 1.30 p.m. news about the search for Tia. The news reporter at the scene started to say that the police have been speaking to other forces who have worked on high profile similar cases, and I thought to myself "please, please, don't mention the bl**dy McCanns", then low and behold she said "the police forces who have worked on the Karen Matthews case and the review of the McCann's case have been liaising with the police officers searching for Tia".

Oh dear, oh dear, Karen Matthews and the McCanns mentioned together in one sentence, I don't think Gerry is going to like that very much.