Halton police scaling back search for missing senior Helen Robertson
Burlington 79-year-old with Alzheimer's has been missing for 9 days
Halton police are still looking for 79-year-old Helen Robertson, who has Alzheimer's disease and has been missing for nine days. But they stopped their intensive ground search three days ago, and now, they're mainly relying on tips.
For days, police did a ground search of the area around Robertson's Burlington home. They also used helicopters, canine units, and volunteers who combed the area looking for the elderly woman.
We searched everything. Every backyard. Every woodlot. Every pathway. We left no stone unturned.- Staff Sgt. Ron Hansen
That proved fruitless. As of Monday, police are no longer searching the area, said Staff Sgt. Ron Hansen of Halton Regional Police. They're searching based on tips from the public now.
"We'll never stop looking for Helen until she's found," Hansen said. But the nature of that search has changed.
Patrol officers are still keeping at eye out, collecting video and following leads. But police have done a targeted search of every possible hazard area around Robertson's home, and they've stopped.
"We searched everything," he said. "Every backyard. Every woodlot. Every pathway. We left no stone unturned."
The farther away from the initial place she was seen, Hansen said, the more vast the area is.
"At this point in time, we could be searching at one end of the region far from where we're supposed to be."
My hope was that we would have found her by now.- Staff Sgt. Ron Hansen
Robertson first went missing from her Millcroft Park Drive home last Tuesday afternoon. She's known to walk long distances, and police believe she's wearing mismatched shoes.
Police called in resources from Hamilton, Durham and the OPP to help with the search. They've followed up on numerous leads, but still haven't found Robertson.
The longer she's gone, Hansen said, the less likely she'll be found safe. But he's trying to stay optimistic.
"My hope was that we would have found her by now," he said. "The fact that we haven't is of great concern to us and obviously to the family."
Robertson is white, five foot, two inches tall and 110 pounds, with white collar-length hair, a slim build and glasses. She's possibly wearing a red long-sleeved collared shirt.
Anyone with information as to her whereabouts should call police at 905-825-4747 ext. 2305.