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Thread: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

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    British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia: says private investigator:

    LONDON (AFP) - A private investigator looking for a British boy who went missing on the Greek island of Kos more than a decade ago said there was a possibility he could have ended up in Scandinavia.



    Ian Crosby is working on behalf of the family of Ben Needham, from Sheffield, in the north of England, who would have been celebrating his 14th birthday Wednesday if he had not disappeared in July 1991.


    Crosby has just returned from Kos, where he said he made a number of advances.


    He said he tracked down the manager of the hotel where Ben's mother Kerry worked in the summer of 1991 who told him a Scandinavian travel firm was his main customer at the time.


    Crosby said Ben -- who was 21 months old when he vanished -- would play in the pool and around the hotel, and that two couples, who have never been traced, showed an interest in him.


    One of these families, whose child played in the same places, could have been Scandinavian, he said.


    The other, he said, was a couple who may have been British and came to Kos to get over the death of their child.


    "A blond child like Ben would fit in very well in Scandinavia," the investigator said. "It has to be a consideration that he may well have ended up there."


    Crosby said he now is chasing up leads back in Britain following his two-week trip, in which he also interviewed the island's police chiefs past and present.


    "Ben is still alive," he said. "I believe it, his mother believes it, South Yorkshire Police believe it and the police in Kos believe it. I believe that sooner or later I will discover the whereabouts of this child."


    Ben was last seen outside a farmhouse in the Kos village of Iraklise which was being renovated by his grandparents
    Source: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...c_031028171846

  2. #2
    PI dilema

    Why did Ian Crosby choose to make the announcement?

    Did he do it intentionally, hoping to scare the couple of thieves (if any!), pushing them to make a wrong move? Did he think that he could get a lead from Scandinavia (couple's relative, neighbour, etc.)? Was he not able to make a more detailed investigation in Scandinavia?

    One fact is sure: he accepted the risk. Now the false parents have been warned.

  3. #3
    Excellent point. Now the "parents" of the missing child have been warned. They will be on their guard.

  4. #4
    Hi Donna,

    I've just read about this kidnapping and was curious if the PI had any further leads since it was posted in 2003?

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    Interesting story. Has there been any further word on this kidnapping? I hope they find this young man safe and well.

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    According to this story, he still isn't found! I'm really praying for the safety of this boy!

    http://www.benneedham.info/

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    How does one begin to track this boy? He is seventeen now. Once he is an adult, will that make him easier or harder to find? There has not been much news about Ben Needham in the last couple of years. I hope Ian Crosby has not given up yet. This case really interests me. Is there any way to help, being so far away? I pity his mother, Kerry. As a mom myself, I can't begin to fathom her pain.

  8. #8

    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    That would be really hard to find him. Especially if he is now living under an alias. If the in vestigator could find his new name ( if there is one), then it might easier because as an adult everything he does should leave a paper trail. I do hope he finds him. Good luck.
    Kevan

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    I guess our only hope is that Ben somehow realizes that something is not quite right (if he is out there). There is a big possibility that he is no longer alive, and never lived past the night of his disappearance. However, they searched the area and found nothing. The area he disappeared from is (from what I can see in the pictures) pretty secluded. If he did wander off, how far could a 21 month old go? He would have been found. If you read what happened, there is a gap of a few minutes from when his grandmother last seen him, and when his uncle left on his bike. The key is somewhere in those few minutes (which varies from a couple of minutes to quite a few, if you read differing accounts.) I realize this case is cold, but I think a lot can still be done! Does anyone agree? Am I crazy for pursuing this? Please give feedback! Thanks!

  10. #10

    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    Karen,

    There is always hope. In a situation like this, people should not give up until they get closure. Meaning that they should not quit looking until they have diffinitive evidence and a reason to stop. It sounds to me like there is no evidence or reason to stop, and you are never stupid for feeling passionate about something when there IS still hope. I hope everything works out in your favor.

    Kevan

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    Hi! I was able to contact Ian Crosby, the P.I. working on Ben's case, and he said he now believes Ben to be dead. He did not give his reasons why. I emailed him again, to ask his reasons for believing this is so. I hope he has valid evidence to think this. I would hate for him to give up already. What do you think?

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigat

    Quote Originally Posted by Karen Reep
    Hi! I was able to contact Ian Crosby, the P.I. working on Ben's case, and he said he now believes Ben to be dead. He did not give his reasons why. I emailed him again, to ask his reasons for believing this is so. I hope he has valid evidence to think this. I would hate for him to give up already. What do you think?
    I sure hope that he has reasons to believe him to be dead, other than just saying so. Also, even if he were dead, I would continue the case, and attempt to find the body at least, the family will know his body was found.

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    Your right, Jack, the parents deserve to have closure. In Ian's message, after he said he believed him dead, he stated "But I could be wrong." For someone who is supposed to be so involved (as far as I know, he is the only investigator working the case) he doesn't seem to know anymore than me. Honestly, I think he is more wrapped up in the Lord Lucan mystery. I don't mean to criticize Ian, it's obvious he cares. He has funded the Ben website out of his pocket, and it is a good website. However, I was also able to contact a friend of the Needham family, and she said the Needham's have no access to the boy's website email. She also said they still think he is alive. The friend seemed angry that Ian Crosby befriended the Kos police, the ones who botched Ben's investigation in the first place. I think he would need to be cordial, if he wants to get something accomplished. I believe this case needs a new investigator. I wish I could do something, I feel helpless. Is it possible to investigate a case from so far away?

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigat

    Quote Originally Posted by Karen Reep
    Your right, Jack, the parents deserve to have closure. In Ian's message, after he said he believed him dead, he stated "But I could be wrong." For someone who is supposed to be so involved (as far as I know, he is the only investigator working the case) he doesn't seem to know anymore than me. Honestly, I think he is more wrapped up in the Lord Lucan mystery. I don't mean to criticize Ian, it's obvious he cares. He has funded the Ben website out of his pocket, and it is a good website. However, I was also able to contact a friend of the Needham family, and she said the Needham's have no access to the boy's website email. She also said they still think he is alive. The friend seemed angry that Ian Crosby befriended the Kos police, the ones who botched Ben's investigation in the first place. I think he would need to be cordial, if he wants to get something accomplished. I believe this case needs a new investigator. I wish I could do something, I feel helpless. Is it possible to investigate a case from so far away?
    In my opinion :

    If the family believes him to be alive, and the Investigator has no proof that the child is dead, they should continue a missing person investigation until they can determine it to be a homicide.

    You can always help, in many ways, if you have blogs, blog the story about the child, post about it wherever you post. The more the word is spread, the more people that become familiar with the situation,the better the chances are to find the child.

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    I have not heard back from Ian Crosby yet. I hope he does share his reasons for believing Ben is dead. I heard they are now searching for Ben in and around Athens. The Athens police are now involved. If he is alive, he is almost an adult. He may not want a relationship with his mother. I am sure that it would be enough for her to know he is well. It would be a miracle, but such things do happen!

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    This is a very interesting case. I have just did a little research. Karen, I love your enthusiasm! Never give up!

    I do volunteer work w/the missing and unidentified...the most important thing in these cases is keeping the story alive, keep it going. Get the pictures circulating. Some where, some one, knows some thing!

    You would be amazed at the ways cold cases can be made new again. Write local newspapers, especially on anniversaries, get them to run stories on our missing and unidentified. Get to know the local reporters w/TV news on cases. The families can get attention by holding vigils. Get the missings pictures posted everywhere you can, via internet, myspace, adoption sites, classmates, ...these are just a few ways.

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    Personal information
    Birthdate: 29-oct-1989
    Age at disappearance:
    21 months (almost 2 years old)
    Hair:
    blonde
    Eyes:
    blue
    Extra information:
    Ben has a strawberry type birthmark on the nape of his neck and another birthmark about two inches above his right knee
    WAT case #: grM001 Date added: 27-jun-03

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.



    Age Progression (still trying to locate at what age this represents)


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    Ben, together with his mother and grandparents, moved from the United Kingdom to live on the island of Kos, Greece in 1991. Ben disappeared on July 24th of the same year. He was last seen playing outside, very near the doorway of his grandparents' farmhouse. The exact time of Ben’s disappearance is not known, but he was gone at 2:30 pm (14:30). The police were not notified straight away as no one suspected he had been taken; after searching the area and calling out to him for over an hour, Ben's grandmother returned to the family's caravan. Ben's grandfather also looked for him in his automobile, with no positive results. After a search, the grandparents assumed that Stephen, Ben's uncle, had taken the child with him. They drove to his apartment only to find out that Stephen had no knowledge as of Ben's whereabouts.
    Police were informed later and another search was started. Ben's mother was informed of the incident at 10:30 pm, she also helped with the searches. According to Ben's family, police seemed very cold. An officer told Stephen and Ben's grandfather to meet them at the docks to check on the passenger cars heading to Athens in the 3 am ferry. The police officer never showed up. This was the first of many unprofessional, disappointing, and unethical policing Ben's family received from the Greek police. Airports and Docks were not informed of Ben’s disappearance until 3 days later.
    A sighting of a child similar to Ben was reported July 27th. He had been seen by a member of staff with an older boy at a shop counter. This happened in the evening of the day Ben went missing; the boy has never been traced and it's unknown if he is indeed Ben. There have been over 300 reported sightings of children matching Ben’s description, particularly during 1991 and 1992. A reward is being offered for Ben's recovery.



    Where are They?

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    Update 3/2/07

    UPDATE

    (saved to hard drive if link disappears after time)

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    Age Progression is of Ben at age 13

    Is this the face of Ben Needham, aged 13?

    Last updated at 08:26am on 13th June 2003

    He vanished in mysterious circumstances on the Greek island of Kos almost 12 years ago. He was just 21 months old.
    Despite several possible sightings and a range of theories about what happened to him, Ben Needham is still missing.
    Now police have provided new hope in the search for him by releasing a digitallycreated picture of what he may look like at 13.
    Compiled by the Metropolitan Police facial imaging team, it is based on photos of Ben as a toddler - the blond hair he had then remains, and the eyes are unmistakeably his.
    The experts then studied pictures of other family members to determine how their features have developed with age and adjusted Ben's face accordingly.
    The image has been issued by South Yorkshire Police as the 12th anniversary of Ben's disappearance approaches.
    He went missing on July 24, 1991, from a remote farmhouse being renovated by his family, who had emigrated to Kos from Sheffield. Detective Inspector Martin Locking, of the Yorkshire force, said: 'We don't know what happened to him, but we hope this picture could provide a breakthrough.'

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    Age 13-Progression Picture

    Clearer picture of age progression


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    Another Age Progression-Age 11

    I found this document which shows another age progression, this one at age 11.

    http://www.kinder-nach-hause.de/kids/needham/info.doc



    referrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600">

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    Greetings Christine, how are you doing? I hope you're well and doing fine. Its nice seeing and hearing from you.

    Very good work, I also want to thank you for taking the time to find and post the links here.

    To Karen, cheryl and others, it's very sad to hear of such news as we hope for the best conclusion to this family, I will pray for Ben's return.

    keep up the good work.

    Have a great day.

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    Re: British boy, missing since 1991, could be in Scandinavia, says private investigator.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dragos Sfinteanu
    PI dilema
    Why did Ian Crosby choose to make the announcement?
    ...
    Dragos,

    First, we have a story that shows us some investigative techniques and then we have a serious question.

    Great question - What did Ian hope to accomplish? Thanks!
    Michael E. Harris

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