Police in Whanganui are searching for a woman who is believed to have been missing for 10 days.
On Monday, 19 April a bus driver spotted a woman sitting in a red Suzuki Stationwagon on SH4, at the Lismore intersection. He later noticed the same vehicle parked on Old Parapara Road by a small cluster of pine trees and assumed it had broken down.
Seeing it was still there yesterday (Wednesday, 28 April) he reported the vehicle to Police.
Police also received a report yesterday that 45-year-old Marice Jane McGregor, also known as Katrina, was reported missing by a relative, and enquiries show that the Suzuki car belongs to Miss McGregor.
Area Commander, Inspector Duncan MacLeod, said: "The length of time she appears to have been missing gives us serious concerns for Miss McGregor's welfare. We have established that she spoke on 19 April to a female friend arranging to meet for coffee the following morning but Miss McGregor never turned up for that meeting. That is the last known contact she has had with anyone."
A helicopter search is underway and Police divers are also preparing to search a waterway near where the vehicle was found. Miss McGregor's home has already been searched and other enquiries are underway to try to locate her and piece together her recent movements.
Marice McGregor is described as European, 163cm tall and solid build with brown hair. It is not known what she would be wearing. She lives alone in Whanganui and has family and friends in the area but does not communicate with people easily.
Anyone with information about Marice McGregor that might assist in the Police search is asked to contact Whanganui Police on 06 349 0600.
Media enquiries should be referred to Communications Manager Kim Perks on 06 351 2546 or 027 234 8256.
