Appeal for car owners to contact police

Police investigating the disappearance of six year old Coral Burrows want to hear from the owners of white or cream coloured Fiat or Lada station wagons and who live in the Featherston, Greytown, Martinborough and South Wairarapa areas.

"We also want to hear from people who know of similar vehicles being owned by people in these areas," says Detective Inspector Rod Drew, head of Operation Reef.

Police are also appealing for people who:

• Regularly commute to Wellington in white or cream Fiat or Lada station wagons

• Sightings of any vehicles on Tuesday or Wednesday 9 and 10 September parked or being driven slowly or in an unusual manner near Double Bridges at the base of the Rimutaka Hill Road, between Double Bridges and Featherston, in South Featherston Road and the routes leading back to Featherston including SH53, Longwood Road and surrounding streets.

• People seen in these areas on Tuesday or Wednesday 9 and 10 September.

People are urged to call the 0508 677 333 or 0508 OP REEF freephone.

Mr Drew said the police investigation has been boosted today an extra 20 detectives from Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Hawkes Bay and elsewhere in the Wellington District. There are now more than 80 investigators and support staff working on the inquiry.

"A huge amount of information is being amassed, analysed and followed up," Mr Drew says. "The area canvas of rural properties is going well and tomorrow morning two mail delivery staff will be distributing a police information flier to 820 addresses in the Featherston area and a further 400 rural letter boxes."

Yesterday’s searches included:

• Police divers extending their search to below the floodgates at the lower end of Lake Wairarapa.

• A helicopter rechecking the lake and surrounding waterways.

• Police and civilian search teams working over additional bush and farm properties.

• Two police dogs trained in victim recovery work have checked Abbotts Creek where Coral’s bag was found on Wednesday and an area around South Featherston School.

• Police and volunteer search teams on the Ruamahanga River, riverbanks and bushland
• Coral’s home in Woodward Street.

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