Jean "Vince" Vincent POLICARPIO

A sign of missing Canberra man Jean Vincent Policarpio sits on the side of the road

 

Parents of missing Canberra man Jean Policarpio issue appeal for him to come home

Posted 

The parents of a 21-year-old Canberra man who has been missing for 12 days have publicly appealed for their son to return home.

Jean Policarpio was last seen at his home in Bonner on the morning of September 27.

Police and emergency services have conducted extensive searches of the suburb, along with the neighbouring suburb of Forde and the nearby Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary.

Today, Senior Constable Tanja Catalinac addressed the media, along with Mr Policarpio's parents.

"We are trying everything we possibly can to bring him forward or find someone who may have seen him," she said.

Mr Policarpio's father Will, standing alongside his wife and Jean's mother Beth, made a statement on behalf of the family.

"We would like to take this opportunity to appeal to our son Jean Vincent Policarpio," he said.

"If you are watching at the moment or listening, we want you to know that we are so worried about you and we want you to come home.

"If you decide to stay out there at least let us know that you are safe and well."

Will Policarpio also appealed to the public, urging them to help he and his wife "find our son".

"If anyone has any knowledge of his whereabouts or information about his disappearance we are urging you to please contact the police," he said.

Senior Constable Catalinac said details were scarce on Mr Policarpio's disappearance.

She said New South Wales Police had been alerted and were also on the lookout.

"We have notified all transportation companies and given them his picture, but we don't know if he's gone interstate or whether he's still in Canberra," she said.

'Not a day we don't think of you': Mum's emotional plea to missing son

A Canberra mother has fought back tears while making an emotional plea to her missing son, who disappeared nearly a year ago.

 

Jean Vincent Policarpio, known as Vince, left the family home in Bonner about 9.30pm on September 26 last year without his wallet, phone and keys, and never came back.

Beth Policarpio spoke directly to her son during a press conference on Monday as part of National Missing Persons Week, pleading with him to get in touch.

"Vince, if you’re hearing this message, we want nothing more than to see you return home," Mrs Policarpio said, flanked by Vince's father Will, brother Francis and sister Vanessa.

 

"There is not a day that we don’t think of you.

"If you decide to stay out there, at least let us know that you are safe and well."

Details surrounding the disappearance of Mr Policarpio, who would now be 22, are scarce.

His family doesn't know what he was wearing when he vanished, or where he was going.

Mr Policarpio was known to visit the Golden Sun Moth Walking Trail in Mulligans Flat and Chicken Gourmet in Bonner, and did not drive.

An extensive search in nearby bush areas and local lakes and ponds found no trace of him.

He is described as Filipino in appearance, 165 centimetres tall and of slight build, with olive skin, brown eyes and black hair.

Detective Superintendent Jamey Bellicanta said there were currently 14 cases open in the ACT where people had been missing for more than three months.

Superintendent Bellicanta said Mr Policarpio was the only one of the 652 people reported missing in the ACT last year who had not been found.

"Although the statistics, one would think, are strong in regards to someone returning, statistics sadly don’t provide any comfort for the loved ones [and] friends of someone who is missing," he said.

As of August 3, there have already been 427 missing persons reports made in the territory this year.

While most missing people were usually found within a week, Superintendent Bellicanta said any open missing persons case remained a priority for police, no matter how long it had been.

He said there was no set timeframe that people needed to wait before reporting a loved one missing, urging anyone who thought something was wrong to contact police and provide as much information as possible.

"Be honest to your feelings," Superintendent Bellicanta said.

"If you think something’s not right and somebody should be home, then certainly report that to police as soon as possible."

Anyone with information on Mr Policarpio's whereabouts is urged to visit their local police station, call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or ACT Policing Operations on 131 444.

New search for missing Canberra man Jean Vincent Policarpio launched after case re-examined by police

By
Posted 

The family of missing Canberra man Jean Vincent Policarpio have joined police in a search for fresh evidence, nearly three years after his disappearance.

The then-21-year-old, better known as Vince, was last seen leaving his home in Bonner on September 26, 2017.

He has not been seen since.

The new search began at 7:00am this morning in the nature reserve behind Bonner and Throsby, towards the NSW border — areas Vince was known to frequent.

ACT police said the search was launched after a re-examination of the case.

"The search is a concentrated effort to locate new evidence."

Hopes of a breakthrough

Mr Policarpio left his home nearly three years ago without his keys, phone and wallet.

He did not drive and never returned.

More than 50 people are involved in the new search, including SES volunteers and ACT police

"We'll be here from 7:00am and 5:00pm this weekend and next."

'We want you to come home'

Police carried out searches near Mr Policarpio's home, along with the neighbouring suburb of Forde and the nearby Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary, in the days following his disappearance.

Mr Policarpio's family in 2017 pleaded for the public's help in finding their son.

"If you decide to stay out there at least let us know that you are safe and well.

"If anyone has any knowledge of his whereabouts or information about his disappearance we are urging you to please contact the police."

Police urged Canberrans to avoid the Mulligans Flat area while the search was underway.

Mr Policarpio is one of eight people in the ACT whose missing persons case remains unsolved.

Of the 652 people reported missing to ACT police in 2017, only Mr Policarpio's case remains unsolved.

Extensive search fails to find answers to Jean Vincent Policarpio disappearance

Kim Treasure 

An extensive police search of Mulligans Flat Reserve has failed to find any answers to the long-term disappearance of Jean Policarpio.

Jean Vincent Policarpio, known as Vince, left his family home in Bonner at about 9:30 pm on 26 September 2017 without his wallet, phone and keys. He never came back.

The-then 21-year-old was known to visit the Golden Sun Moth Walking Trail in Mulligans Flat and Chicken Gourmet in Bonner, and did not drive.

An extensive search of nearby bush areas and local lakes and ponds found no trace of him at the time of his disappearance.

Police launched a new search last month following a re-examination of all information available in the case.

The concentrated effort to locate fresh evidence covered a large search area encompassing the nature reserve behind Bonner and Throsby towards the NSW border, without success. A police spokesperson said there were still some areas that need to be covered when weather and resourcing permits but no date has been set.

The police investigation into Policarpio’s disappearance remains active. He is described as Filipino in appearance, 165 centimetres tall and of slight build, with olive skin, brown eyes and black hair.

Anyone with information in relation to Policarpio’s whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Quote reference 6158285. Information can be provided anonymously.