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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/oct/02/april-jones-vehicle-willingly-police
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| April Jones may have entered vehicle willingly, police say | April Jones may have entered vehicle willingly, police say |
| (8 days later) | |
| Police are becoming increasingly concerned for the safety of a five-year-old girl from mid-Wales whom they believe was abducted while playing outside, apparently willingly getting into a vehicle, prompting a major search by officers and volunteers. | Police are becoming increasingly concerned for the safety of a five-year-old girl from mid-Wales whom they believe was abducted while playing outside, apparently willingly getting into a vehicle, prompting a major search by officers and volunteers. |
| April Jones was last seen at 7pm on Monday after playing on her bike with a friend on the Bryn-y-Gog estate where she lived in the market town of Machynlleth in the Dyfi valley, north of Aberystwyth. Dyfed-Powys police said she was seen getting into the driver's side of a light-coloured Land Rover or Ford Connect type vehicle which drove off, apparently with her in it. | April Jones was last seen at 7pm on Monday after playing on her bike with a friend on the Bryn-y-Gog estate where she lived in the market town of Machynlleth in the Dyfi valley, north of Aberystwyth. Dyfed-Powys police said she was seen getting into the driver's side of a light-coloured Land Rover or Ford Connect type vehicle which drove off, apparently with her in it. |
| At a press conference in Aberystwyth on Tuesday, Detective Superintendent Reg Bevan said: "There's nothing to suggest at this stage there was a struggle when she got into the car." | At a press conference in Aberystwyth on Tuesday, Detective Superintendent Reg Bevan said: "There's nothing to suggest at this stage there was a struggle when she got into the car." |
| The family were extremely distraught and it was "very, very difficult for them", but dedicated officers were with them. "It's every family's worst nightmare to suffer a child go missing in this way." | The family were extremely distraught and it was "very, very difficult for them", but dedicated officers were with them. "It's every family's worst nightmare to suffer a child go missing in this way." |
| Bevan said April was playing with friends on Monday evening, some of whom left early. "One individual was with her when the abduction took place." | Bevan said April was playing with friends on Monday evening, some of whom left early. "One individual was with her when the abduction took place." |
| He said interviews with her friends would continue but it was "delicate and time-consuming. We are mindful of the impact it has on children." | He said interviews with her friends would continue but it was "delicate and time-consuming. We are mindful of the impact it has on children." |
| Bevan reiterated that April entered the driver's side of a vehicle, which was described as being small at the front and large at the back. | Bevan reiterated that April entered the driver's side of a vehicle, which was described as being small at the front and large at the back. |
| Police were looking through CCTV footage from private homes, municipal cameras and the road network. | Police were looking through CCTV footage from private homes, municipal cameras and the road network. |
| "We're keeping an open mind," he said. "Clearly April's gone into the vehicle. There's nothing to suggest otherwise. I'm unable to give too much information because it is early days in the inquiry. We are concentrating our efforts on the immediate vicinity where she was last seen." | "We're keeping an open mind," he said. "Clearly April's gone into the vehicle. There's nothing to suggest otherwise. I'm unable to give too much information because it is early days in the inquiry. We are concentrating our efforts on the immediate vicinity where she was last seen." |
| He added: "I would repeat the plea I made if you were in the area around 7pm any further descriptions no matter how trivial could be vital. The dedicated child rescue line is 0300 2000 333." | He added: "I would repeat the plea I made if you were in the area around 7pm any further descriptions no matter how trivial could be vital. The dedicated child rescue line is 0300 2000 333." |
| Trained staff had been with April's family from the outset, he said. "It's a vital part of the investigation that we are keeping them updated and providing with support they clearly need." | Trained staff had been with April's family from the outset, he said. "It's a vital part of the investigation that we are keeping them updated and providing with support they clearly need." |
| Bevan said police had been gratefully reassured by the community's response, with a line search involving 20 teams of volunteers and co-ordinated by mountain rescue staff due to begin. He apologised to volunteers for having to wait hours before the structure was in place to resume the search at midday. | Bevan said police had been gratefully reassured by the community's response, with a line search involving 20 teams of volunteers and co-ordinated by mountain rescue staff due to begin. He apologised to volunteers for having to wait hours before the structure was in place to resume the search at midday. |
| The mayor of the town, Gareth Jones, said that at one point 500 people had gathered at the leisure centre, which is the focus of the search. | The mayor of the town, Gareth Jones, said that at one point 500 people had gathered at the leisure centre, which is the focus of the search. |
| A spokeswoman for the force said April was wearing a purple, knee-length coat with a hood trimmed with grey fur and her school white polo top and black trousers when she went missing. | A spokeswoman for the force said April was wearing a purple, knee-length coat with a hood trimmed with grey fur and her school white polo top and black trousers when she went missing. |
| Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Powell, of Dyfed-Powys police, said they were "becoming increasingly concerned for her safety". | Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Powell, of Dyfed-Powys police, said they were "becoming increasingly concerned for her safety". |
| Road blocks had been set up in and out of the town and car searches were being carried out. | Road blocks had been set up in and out of the town and car searches were being carried out. |
| A team of investigators from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) were on their way to Wales to work alongside police. And the nationwide child rescue alert system had been triggered to help find April. It aims to co-ordinate the efforts of the police, public and the media. | A team of investigators from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) were on their way to Wales to work alongside police. And the nationwide child rescue alert system had been triggered to help find April. It aims to co-ordinate the efforts of the police, public and the media. |
| Charlie Hedges, manager of the missing, abducted and kidnapped children's unit of Ceop, is advising senior police officers. | Charlie Hedges, manager of the missing, abducted and kidnapped children's unit of Ceop, is advising senior police officers. |
| He said: "These early hours are crucial from the point of view of the investigation because what has happened is fresh in people's minds and because, if April is being held somewhere, the longer the time passes the more damage that might be done from a child protection point of view." | He said: "These early hours are crucial from the point of view of the investigation because what has happened is fresh in people's minds and because, if April is being held somewhere, the longer the time passes the more damage that might be done from a child protection point of view." |
| Hedges added that the alert system was used rarely and the decision to use it was made after an assessment of the risks a child may be facing. Calls to the hotline number were answered by officers from a number of forces and the information was sent on to the incident room at Dyfd-Powys police. | Hedges added that the alert system was used rarely and the decision to use it was made after an assessment of the risks a child may be facing. Calls to the hotline number were answered by officers from a number of forces and the information was sent on to the incident room at Dyfd-Powys police. |
| Most shops were close in the town, which has a population of 2,100, as people joined the search. "Missing" posters were displayed in windows. Volunteers had also come from throughout Wales to the town on the southern periphery of the Snowdonia national park. | Most shops were close in the town, which has a population of 2,100, as people joined the search. "Missing" posters were displayed in windows. Volunteers had also come from throughout Wales to the town on the southern periphery of the Snowdonia national park. |
| But community leaders have appealed for more help. | But community leaders have appealed for more help. |
| Search volunteer Anwen Morris told Sky News: "Basically, we need bodies down here … we need all the help we can." | Search volunteer Anwen Morris told Sky News: "Basically, we need bodies down here … we need all the help we can." |
| She said residents had searched an area with a 30-mile radius overnight (video), using quad bikes and off-road vehicles. "The most important thing is to get this little girl home," she said. | She said residents had searched an area with a 30-mile radius overnight (video), using quad bikes and off-road vehicles. "The most important thing is to get this little girl home," she said. |
| Another volunteer, John Rogers, said many residents had worked until 5am. He urged them to return and continue the search in daylight. "We need to really cover all the areas we've covered overnight – nooks and crannies – even places like children's playgrounds." | Another volunteer, John Rogers, said many residents had worked until 5am. He urged them to return and continue the search in daylight. "We need to really cover all the areas we've covered overnight – nooks and crannies – even places like children's playgrounds." |
| Michael Williams, a county councillor who joined the search, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "People were co-ordinated by the police and as well as searching the town they went out into the forested areas of the valley and wooded areas and out into hamlets and byroads." | Michael Williams, a county councillor who joined the search, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "People were co-ordinated by the police and as well as searching the town they went out into the forested areas of the valley and wooded areas and out into hamlets and byroads." |
| He said April's family was a lovely, caring family who were devastated by her disappearance. "The community is shocked and stunned over what's happened." | He said April's family was a lovely, caring family who were devastated by her disappearance. "The community is shocked and stunned over what's happened." |
| Brian Vaughn, whose daughter goes to school with April, said she was a lovely little girl. "Everybody just wants her back," he said. "Whatever we've got to do, we'll do it. We're just hoping for the best, that she's closer, rather than further away." | Brian Vaughn, whose daughter goes to school with April, said she was a lovely little girl. "Everybody just wants her back," he said. "Whatever we've got to do, we'll do it. We're just hoping for the best, that she's closer, rather than further away." |
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