Gold Coast security firm Panoptic Solutions in search for missing Adelaide woman Annapuranee ‘Anna’ Jenkins in Malaysia
A CRACK squad of former Australian military personnel and police are leading an international hunt for an Adelaide woman, who mysteriously vanished while in Malaysia late last year.
A CRACK squad of former Australian military personnel and police are leading an international hunt for an Adelaide woman, who mysteriously vanished while in Malaysia late last year.
Annapuranee “Anna” Jenkins, 65, of Glenelg South, went missing on December 13 while visiting her sick 101-year-old mother in Penang.
Mrs Jenkins, a grandmother described as a “kind and loving” churchgoer, vanished after a routine dental check-up in Pulau Tikus, a northwest suburb of George Town on the Malaysian island.
Since her “out of character” disappearance, her family has made several failed mercy dashes to Asia to help, in the increasingly desperate search.
Local police say she had travelled alone in an Uber cab to a dental appointment before heading to her mother’s nearby nursing home but her driver dropped her 4km away at her request – and she has not been seen since.
Her bank account has not been touched and she has no identification.
Her husband, Frank Jenkins, 78, who was travelling with his wife of more than 40 years – who was also his carer – told The Advertiser she had never gone missing before but over the past 12 months had displayed signs of mental health issues.
Amid mounting fears for her safety, the family have hired a private high-end security firm, based on the Gold Coast, to lead the search.
Her Brisbane-based son, 38 – whose job prevents him from being identified – hired Panoptic Solutions, a protection and security firm comprising former military and police veterans.
The company rarely talks publicly about clients but has highlighted this case to generate valuable publicity. SA Police is being updated.
Daughter Jen Bowen, 39, of Glenunga, said there had been unconfirmed sightings of her mother while the family had managed to “narrow down a search area”.
“It’s hard (because) we have to drive the investigation a lot,” she said on Tuesday night.
She hoped the new team of investigators would help.
“I’m just really hoping that she is okay and anything that we can do to make her feel safe we would do,” she said.
“She is so missed and not just by her immediate family. We want her safe and back.”
Ms Bowen said she believed her mother may have suffered a medical episode or a mental breakdown.
“I’m really concerned about her having a breakdown because she’s had to witness her mother slowing dying and my dad had a fall just a week before,” she said. “I think the worrying part is that she’s incredibly close to dad, she would never leave (him).”
Frank Jenkins said his wife had started believing people were following her, or “out to get her”. Mr Jenkins said the family was extremely worried.
“We looked around churches and hospitals,” he said.
Panoptic Solutions founder Troy Claydon said there was no known family rift.
“It’s an odd case,” he said.
His team are investigating whether she suffered medical episode, met with foul play or was abducted.
Australian diplomats are providing consular assistance.
Originally published as Gold Coast security firm Panoptic Solutions in search for missing Adelaide woman Annapuranee ‘Anna’ Jenkins in Malaysia