Nicola Bulley disappearance: Search for mom-of-two extended to sea as police rule out crime angle
INSKIP, LANCASHIRE: The Lancashire police have brushed off the involvement of crime and has maintained that the mother-of-two may have fallen into the river and now say they will extend the search to the sea. Nicola Bulley, 45, vanished into 'thin air' while walking her dog along St Michael's on Wyre in Lancashire on Friday, January 27, soon after dropping her daughter to school.
Her phone was found on a bench along the river path. The phone was connected to a team's meeting and had ended after ten minutes. Her dog, Spaniel Willow, was found without a harness.
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'Search extends out to the sea'
"We can say with confidence that Nicola Bulley remained in the riverside area. I know it's frustrating for those observing the investigation when the river has been searched and Nicola has not been found. That does not mean, however, that Nicola was not in the river at some point due to the tidal flow of the river, " Superintendent Sally Riley of Lancashire Police said during a press conference on Tuesday, February 7. She added, " Due to this reason our search of the river and the river banks extends out to the sea..."
Crime angle has been ruled out, says superintendent Sally Riley
While rejecting the suggestions that Nicola may have been a victim of some crime, Sally said, “I would like to reassure the community that nothing in this investigation so far, it has been checked out if it has come in suggesting crime, it has been checked and discounted," she added. “So every single potential third party line of inquiry and potential suspicious or criminal element has been looked at and discounted. It does remain our belief that Nicola sadly fell into the river and that this is a missing persons inquiry.”
Police are now attempting to find dashcam film from 700 drivers who went down the road at the time she vanished, about 9.20 am on Friday, January 27, as they believe it is still "possible" she fled the area along a lane not visible on cameras that are crossed by the main road through the hamlet.
The police also pleaded with people not to break into houses or properties along the riverside saying that breaking into them would be a criminal act. “There are some properties along the riverside which are empty or derelict and whilst it may be well-intentioned that people think that that could be a line of inquiry, I would ask them to desist from doing that," Sally Riley added. “In some cases it may be criminal if they are breaking in, causing damage, or committing a burglary,” reported the Independent. Police have also appealed public not to speculate as to what may have happened to Nicola.