The federal police have spread 444 missing person alerts in 2019, of which 281 (63%) cases were solved in a year.
With 26 more cases in 2019, there was a 6% increase in reports compared to 2018. Most of the reports were about people who were reported as missing, report the Sudpresse newspapers.
281 (63%) of those cases were solved within 12 months. Of the 444 missing person alerts, 252 (57%) were linked to a disappearance, which is a 17% increase compared to 2018.
"Almost 90% of the disappearance cases were solved," said Alain Martens of the federal police, reports Bruzz.
"But it is normal for missing person cases to be resolved the quickest as these are mainly people who are depressed or have Alzheimer's, for example. By using a helicopter or dogs, we can make rapid progress in such a case," he added.
If a person is not found, and a criminal investigation does not produce the desired result, missing person alerts are used as a last resort.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
