Urgent appeal to find missing Malton woman
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- Update Friday 11 October 1.40pm - An update on our search to find Victoria Taylor
We will continue with our searches today and over the weekend to find missing Victoria Taylor.
Victoria, who is 34-years-old, was last seen at her home address at 9am on Monday 30 September.
Our approach is to carry out thorough and systematic searches of the area where Victoria was last seen and from where we recovered her belongings with a focus on the River Derwent.
Officers from the Underwater Search Team will continue to use specialist equipment this weekend as they tactically scour the murky river water. On land, our Operational Support Unit will search areas close to the river for further clues which may lead us to finding Victoria.
In addition to the visible searches, a team of officers will continue to follow up on sightings, review CCTV and speak to key witnesses.
Our Head of Local Policing, Chief Superintendent Fiona Willey said: “We will continue to make every effort to find Victoria and have a dedicated team that are working solely on this missing person search.
“As every day goes on it brings further heartache for Victoria’s family and we will continue to work closely with them. The support which the community of Malton and Norton have shown is uplifting and has helped provide some form of comfort to those who are close to Victoria at this difficult time.
“I would reiterate our previous appeals for information. Any relevant information, no matter how insignificant it might be, may help our enquiries. If you can help, please speak with an officer, or contact us on 101.”
Press briefing - 2pm Wednesday 09 October 2024
This afternoon our Head of Local Policing, Chief Superintendent Fiona Willey provided a statement to the media. Fiona said:
Today, we continue to search for 34-year-old Victoria Taylor who is known locally as Vixx, and is still missing from her home in the Norton area of Malton.
I’m here today to provide an update to the local community on the police response to find Victoria. But firstly, I wanted to acknowledge the unimaginable level of distress that Victoria’s family are going through following her disappearance nine days ago. We have put specialist officers in place to link in directly with the family to support them and keep them updated with our strategy and any developments. The family are supportive of the police response, and we are working together in our efforts to find Victoria.
Victoria left her home at 9am on Monday 30 September. She was then seen on CCTV at 11.35am at the BP garage on Welham Road in Norton, where we know she purchased several items. We have a further confirmed sighting of Victoria, which was captured at 11.53am on the Monday at Malton Bus Station on Railway Street. Victoria is seen to be carrying a bag which we believe contains the items from the BP garage. Additional witness evidence supports the fact that Victoria did not enter the station and we have no reason to believe that she used public transport at that time.
In the last 24 hours we have also recovered further CCTV footage which shows Victoria walking towards the play park on Riverside Walk at 12.30pm. Various items that belong to Victoria have been recovered from this location.
Since receiving the initial report that Victoria is missing, we have made every effort to find her. Previous releases of information made by North Yorkshire Police highlight the scale of enquiries undertaken to date and I would like to reiterate that, based on current information, no indication of any form of third-party involvement has been established. This remains a missing person enquiry.
As with any investigation, we remain open minded and will continue to explore all lines of enquiry. Based on the discovery of Victoria’s belongings so close to the water’s edge, we must accept the significant possibility that Victoria has entered the River Derwent.
Searches are currently taking place of the river, these searches have been above surface and underwater. The team are using specialist sonar equipment, which gives officers a view below the surface. The river search is a slow and complex task, and the team are working methodically in difficult conditions. The use of this specialist resource will continue in the coming days, and we are very much supported in this work by national policing advisors.
Additional specialist police search officers are using drones to scour the rural areas close to where Victoria’s possessions were found.
Over the coming days we will continue with our searches to find Victoria and ensure that we are doing all we can to support her family. Understandably, the disappearance of Victoria has shocked the local community and the family take comfort in the overwhelming amount of support from people both locally and further afield.
We have seen a small amount of misinformation and speculation, which is not helpful and is causing unnecessary anguish to Victoria’s family at this incredibly difficult time. Victoria’s family have made clear on various social media platforms, following the sharing of inaccurate information, their wish to work only with North Yorkshire Police in our efforts to locate Victoria and they have I asked that I take this opportunity to reiterate their position.
Finally, we have taken advice on a national level to ensure that we are doing all we can to achieve the best possible outcome for Victoria and her family. As Head of Local Policing for North Yorkshire Police I have every confidence in our ongoing response to this missing person search.
Update - 4.45pm Monday 07 October 2024
We are continuing to search today for a missing 34-year-old woman who was last seen seven days ago in Malton.
Victoria left her home at 9am on Monday 30 September. She was then seen on CCTV at 11.35am at the BP garage on Welham Road in the Norton area of Malton.We now have a further sighting of Victoria which was captured at 11.53am on the Monday (30 Septmeber) at Malton Bus Station on Railway Street.To date, this is the last confirmed sighting of Victoria.
Over the past week we have undertaken extensive enquiries. The investigation has involved the collection and review of CCTV footage and passive data research, we have searched key areas of both land and water and we have interviewed several witnesses. We remain open minded and, whilst the investigation of Victoria’s movements has been thorough, we will continue to pursue existing and new lines of enquiry. Based on information obtained from these exhaustive enquiries, North Yorkshire Police is satisfied at the current time that there is no information to suggest any form of third-party involvement following the disappearance of Victoria and this remains a missing person case.
On Tuesday, we recovered several personal items belonging to Victoria near to the River Derwent.This area is where we are currently focusing our search efforts and the public can expect to see continued activity in the coming days.
Inspector Martin Dennison from North Yorkshire Police said: “This is an extremely difficult time for Victoria’s family, and we are continuing to do all we can to try and find her.
“The focus of our search remains the area around the River Derwent and Victoria’s family members are aware of this and the wider strategy that is in place.
“The family and the police understand the local community wanting to show their support with the searches for Victoria, but we urge people to exercise caution when searching particularly near to the river.”
Update 4.15pm - Friday 04 October 2024 - Missing Victoria: Family appeal to find missing woman Victoria Taylor
The family of missing Victoria Taylor have spoken of how “distraught” they are following her disappearance and released a new image of Victoria and her brother Joe.
Victoria has now been missing for five days. She was last seen at her home address in Malton on Monday 30 September 2024.
Victoria’s sisters Emma and Heidi have said: “We currently feel sick, distraught and lost following the disappearance of Vixx, but we are trying to focus on the children in the family to maintain a sense of routine at this difficult time.
“We would like to thank all the emergency services and volunteers who have assisted in the search for Vixx so far. The wider local community has also rallied around, and we are eternally grateful for the support that they have given to us, Vixx’s family.
“The police have told us that searches will continue over the weekend for which we are grateful.
“The water is challenging at the moment due to the recent weather so if people are out searching for Vixx, then please do not put yourself at risk.”
UPDATE 1.10pm Thursday 03 October 2024 - CCTV image released as the search for Victoria Taylor continues.
Victoria Taylor, 34, was last seen at her home address in Malton on Monday morning.
We are releasing this CCTV image which shows Victoria later that morning at the BP garage on Welham Road in the Norton area of Malton. This image was captured at 11.35am on Monday.
A number of personal possessions belonging to Victoria have been found close to the River Derwent. Following this discovery, our Operation Support Unit and local officers have carried out extensive searches along with support from a police underwater search unit.
We have used drones to search the area from above, carried out multiple enquiries and reviewed hours of CCTV from around Malton where Victoria was last seen.
Inspector Martin Dennison from North Yorkshire Police said: “We are very concerned about Victoria’s whereabouts and, like her family and friends, just want to see her safe and well.
“I would urge the public to be cautious if looking for Victoria near the river. Our officers have specialist training and equipment, and they are used to working in various terrains.
“If you do have any information which can help with the search then please call us 101. Any immediate sightings should be reported to 999.”
UPDATE - 09.55am Tuesday 02 October 2024
We’re continuing to search for 34-year-old Victoria Taylor who has now been missing for three days.
The last sighting of Victoria was at an address in Malton at 9am on Monday 30 September. Victoria is described as white, approximately 5ft 6 in height. She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a black Adidas original puffa jacket with white stripes down the sleeves and a grey Jack Wills hooded jumper.
Members of the public should expect to see an increased police presence in Malton. Today, searches of the riverbanks will take place by our specialist underwater search team.
Inspector Leanne Anderson from North Yorkshire Police said: “There are a range of enquiries taking place to try and locate Victoria. This is still a missing person enquiry, and the focus of our activity is within the Malton / Norton area.
“Extensive searches will take place today and I would urge members of the public in the Malton / Norton areas to remain vigilant and report sightings or pass information to police immediately on 101 or 999.”
ORIGINAL APPEAL
We are appealing for information which will help with our searches to find missing 34-year-old Victoria Taylor.
Victoria was last seen at 9am yesterday (Monday 30 September 2024) at her home address in Malton.
Victoria is described as white, approximately 5ft 6 in height. She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a black Adidas original puffa jacket with white stripes down the sleeves, a grey Jack Wills hooded jumper and was carrying a salmon / pink Vans backpack.
Extensive searches are currently taking place in the Malton / Norton areas to try and locate Victoria, but we are growing increasingly concerned for her welfare.
Any immediate sightings of Victoria should be reported to police on 999. If you have any information which will help with our search then please call 101 and quote reference 12240178710.