THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay Police Service officers with the Uniform Patrol Branch were dispatched to an address in the 600 block of Syndicate Avenue South following an abandoned 911 call just after 2:30 am on Sunday, December 8, 2019.
In a media release from the Thunder Bay Police Service:
“The original call, before being abandoned, had made reference to a female being taken.
“Officers located the original complainants – a male and female – shortly after arriving to the South Syndicate address. Police confirmed the report was for the abduction of a 25-year-old woman.
As police attempted to investigate, one of the complainants told responding officers that they would look for the woman themselves and that police assistance was not needed. Officers continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding the woman’s disappearance despite this request.
Officers interviewed multiple people who were in the area at the time of the suspected abduction.
After these interviews, officers returned to the original complainants in an attempt to acquire more information about the abduction.
This interaction was recorded and live broadcasted on social media by the female complainant. Officers remained professional and focused on locating the victim of a suspected abduction.
This followed the complainants again requesting police discontinue their search efforts. However, the male complainant did eventually become cooperative and offered police information about the abduction.
Officers conducted additional interviews with people in the area and checked several vehicles that matched the description provided by the male complainant.
The investigation became a major case and led to the involvement of investigators from the service’s Major Crimes Unit. Further investigation led police to locate a possible address the victim was staying at.
Police were able to speak with the victim and confirmed she was safe and at the address of her own free will.
Through the course of their investigation, officers learned the victim had left the South Syndicate address by choice. She later met with a friend and spent the night at that friend’s residence.
The Thunder Bay Police Service takes all reported abductions seriously and will not discontinue an investigation until the victim is safely located. Further investigation may also be necessary after the victim is located.
If you are concerned about someone’s well-being and suspect they may be the victim of abduction please call 911.
The Thunder Bay Police Service would also like to remind the public to be mindful of the information they share on social media. The spread of misinformation can complicate investigations and put victims at risk, or create unnecessary public panic.
