Detectives conclude search of Smethwick property in connection with teen missing for 23 years
Phillip Harris was 15 when he went missing back in July 1999
Detectives trying to trace a Sandwell schoolboy who went missing nearly 23 years ago have concluded their searches at a property in Smethwick.
Police have confirmed that nothing has been found to help them discover what happened to 15-year-old Phillip Harris, who left his home in St Eleanors Close, West Bromwich on the morning of 28 July 1999 to visit a friend in Northfield. Later that day he phoned his foster parents to say he would be staying overnight with a friend, but hasn’t been seen since.
After reviewing the case, a property in St Paul’s Road, linked to Phillip at the time, has been thoroughly examined by officers, but no clue has been found to what happened to Phillip, who would be 38-years-old now.
In spite of media appeals, both in Birmingham and Manchester, where he had family links, there have been no confirmed sightings of him.
Detective Inspector Jim Church, from force CID, said: “Sadly there has been no proof of life for Phillip in all these years and we need to explore all the information we have to see if we can find out what happened to him.
“We have been in touch with Phillip’s family and made them aware of our investigations and the update on the search of the property in Smethwick.
“We still believe that someone holds the key to Phillip’s disappearance and we would urge anyone with information to contact us.”
Phillip’s family said: “We think about Phillip every day. We love him and miss him more than words can say. If anyone has any information about what has happened to Phillip or where he might be please let the police know. Even though he has been missing for many years we are still desperate to know where Phillip is so that we can have some closure.”
The current residents of the property in Smethwick are not connected to this enquiry and were rehoused while the search was conducted.