Countywide: Essex Police on television show Vanished
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Essex Police Detective Superintendent Stephen Jennings was interviewed about the case of missing person Anthony Stammers on live television last night.
Presenter Dan Walker spoke to Det Supt Jennings with Anthony’s parents, Julie and Robert. This marked the first time the Channel 5 series has featured a police force in the studio alongside the family of a missing person.
Viewers of Vanished: The Search for Britain's Missing People, learnt that Anthony, 27, was last seen leaving his family home in Mile End Road, Colchester, at about 10am on May 27, 2012.
Det Supt Jennings went on to explain that money was withdrawn from Anthony’s bank account shortly after this last sighting.
He said: “There was £140 withdrawn in cash from an ATM at a petrol station very close to Anthony’s home address. Unfortunately, there was no CCTV that covered that transaction, but there was nothing to suggest it was anyone other than Anthony who had taken that money. But since that time in 2012 - just before 11 o’clock in the morning on the day he went missing - there have been no other transactions in relation to his account whatsoever.”
Det Supt Jennings added: “We did a lot of work around CCTV and, surprisingly, there wasn’t a single image of Anthony - and we trawled hours and hours of footage, both in and around the Colchester area. It is really difficult to know what’s actually happened and we do absolutely keep an open mind.”
The talented musician sent a text message to his mum, Julie, at 7pm asking her to make sure his trousers were ready for his grandfather’s funeral the next day.
But when he did not arrive at Colchester Crematorium for the service on May 28, his parents reported him missing to police.
Despite widespread searches of the town and appeals for information, Anthony has not been located.
In the last decade, we have followed up potential sightings of Anthony in areas such as Colchester, Doncaster and London.
Unfortunately, none have yielded any significant lines of enquiry.
Anthony’s family appealed to viewers to please get in touch if anyone is with him or knows where he is.
Anthony’s mother Julie said: “Every day we think about Anthony, there’s not a minute that goes by we don’t think about him and what has happened to him.
“If you have any tiny little bit of information that you think is insignificant, or you know Anthony and know where he is, please just contact us and help. The police will take into account any little piece of information and investigate.
“And to Anthony if he’s watching, we love you so much and miss you every day. We understand it’s difficult when you’ve been away for a long while to reconnect again. But we’re waiting to welcome you back in our lives again, and that’s all we want. To have you back in our lives again and to give you a great big hug.”
Anthony’s father Rob added: “We’ve not had any bad news, so while there’s hope, we’ll never give up.”
Julie concluded the interview with a thank you to Essex Police.
Anthony is described as white, 5ft 10ins, and is of medium build, with short, dark-brown hair, although he may now have longer hair or changed its colour and could also have a beard.
He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a red and blue checked shirt, carrying a black satchel and may have been wearing a black New York Yankees baseball cap and beige jacket.
You can call us on 101 or contact missing people charity. Please quote reference 12-001452 when providing any information to make sure it gets to the right person as quickly as possible.