You should be concerned and report a person missing to the police immediately if their whereabouts are unknown and you have genuine fears for their safety or welfare, with no 24-hour waiting period required, as the first hours are crucial for finding them safe and well, especially for vulnerable individuals like children, the elderly, or those with medical/mental health issues.
Most people come home or get in contact quickly and without the police having to look for them. But you do not have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing. As soon as you don't know where someone is and you are worried for their safety and welfare, you can report them missing to the police.
Contact law enforcement in person, over the phone, or online to file a missing person report. Provide as much information as possible about the missing loved one. This includes their last known whereabouts, places they like to go, and friends or relatives who may have been in contact with them.
According to the FBI, about 70% of all reported missing persons are found or voluntarily returned within 48 to 72 hours. This indicates a significant efficiency in resolving such cases, with many individuals reappearing or being located within a short period after being reported missing.
Myths still prevail that you must wait up to 72 hours before reporting any person missing. The fact is, there is no waiting period to report a person missing to police. There are also myths that all adult missing persons are the victims of kidnaping, murders or some other criminal act.
Contact The Police Immediately
If the person remains missing more than three days, ask the police to place them on the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) list as an “endangered adult.” This computer network provides information nationwide.
Following detectives in the critical hours after a murder is reported, The First 48 reveals how forensic evidence is gathered, how witnesses are interviewed and how suspects are identified.
Go to your local police station to file a report
The sooner you notify the police that your loved one is missing, the faster they can begin searching. Keep a record of the report. Ensure you obtain a case number for your missing person's report.
In our research, we uncovered some compelling data about missing persons: Of the 15,207 people currently missing in the US, approximately 60% are male and 40% are female. The average age of people when they go missing is around 34.
Despite searches at the time and later DNA testing on unidentified remains decades afterward, Marvin Clark's fate remains unknown. No confirmed evidence has ever explained what happened to him. Nearly a century later, his disappearance is still considered the oldest active missing person case in the United States.
If someone close to you is missing, you should report it to the police as soon as you know they are missing. You do not need to wait for 24 hours.
You may also wish to consult the website of National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMUS), an organization that maintains a national database on all missing persons and provides free investigative support.
Anyone, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or educational background, may become a missing person. The reasons for going missing are many and varied and can include mental illness, miscommunication, misadventure, domestic violence, and being a victim of crime.
If you are concerned that the person is at serious risk of harm, could be in danger or vulnerable in some way you should report them missing to police. If the risk is immediate, then police should be called straight away. You should dial 999 in an emergency to report this or 101 for non-urgent enquires.
What you can do
79% of children are found within 24 hours, and 90% are found within 2 days. Less than 2% of children will be missing for longer than a week. 76% of adults are found within 24 hours, and 86% are found within 2 days. Only 3% of adults will be missing for longer than a week, and less than 1% for longer than a month.
Demographic characteristics. Abducted victims are predominantly females (73%), mostly adults aged 30 or younger (45%) and children (23%).
The United States has the highest number of missing persons, with 521,705 people reported missing in 2021.
Missing 411 is a series of self-published books and films, which document cases of people who have gone missing in national parks and elsewhere, and assert that circumstances surrounding these cases are unusual and mysterious, although data analysis suggests that the disappearances themselves are not statistically ...
Here are seven common techniques used for skip tracing and how to find someone who doesn't want to be found:
Do not wait as time is extremely important:
Social Media Search Engines: Use tools like Pipl or PeekYou to find social media profiles, even if they're private. Contact Mutual Friends: Ask friends of friends if they know the person's whereabouts. Visit Their Last Known Address: If you know their last address, visit it and ask neighbors.
True crime has never been more popular, especially among Millennials and Gen Z. We spoke to devoted fans and one of Britain's leading creators, True Crime Caitlyn, to uncover why these dark stories captivate a new generation.
When you watch true crime frequently, your brain doesn't get a chance to rest. You're constantly processing intense stories about murder, kidnappings, and mysterious disappearances. This keeps your mind in a heightened state of alertness, even when you're not in any real danger.
Let's look at each tier and see how it guides police response. The highest priority in any operation is the safety of hostages or victims who are directly in harm's way. These individuals are at the mercy of a perpetrator and are often held against their will in dangerous, unpredictable circumstances.