Neighbours heard disturbance hours after Epping mum Ju Zhang went missing

Neighbours of Epping mum Ju ‘Kelly’ Zhang were woken by an unusual disturbance outside her home just hours after she went missing.

Missing Person Squad detectives are investigating the disappearance of missing Epping woman Ju Zhang.

A car owned by the boyfriend of missing Melbourne mum Ju “Kelly” Zhang was in use around the time she reportedly vanished nine days ago, police believe.

The revelation comes as investigators stand by their theory that it was highly unlikely Ms Zhang would leave her family.

Police believe Ms Tan’s black 2008 Mazda CX9 station wagon, registration WKE 850, and a white Toyota Landcruiser linked to Ms Zhang drove through the Epping and Doncaster areas between 4pm on February 1 and 8am the next day.

Boyfriend Joon Seong Tan initially told police Ms Zhang left her eight-year-old son at her Winchester Ave Epping home for a walk while barefoot and dressed in pink pyjamas about 5.30pm on February 1.

His version of events was described as “highly unlikely” early in the investigation and police now believe he could have been in his car around the time of her disappearance.

Detectives doorknock neighbours near Ms Zhang’s home.

It has also emerged Ms Zhang’s neighbours were woken in the night after an unusual disturbance outside her home in the hours after she went missing.

A resident told the Herald Sun he and his wife heard several men speaking outside the property between 3 and 4am on Tuesday.

“They were there talking for about 15 minutes. It sounded like there were two or three of them,” he said.

It’s understood Ms Zhang’s missing person report was not filed with police until later that day.

Detectives ramped up their hunt for answers over Ms Zhang’s disappearance on Tuesday as they swept the streets of Epping and Doncaster for leads and CCTV footage. Investigators have pleaded with residents in these suburbs to urgently check their CCTV cameras for Mr Tan’s Mazda or the Toyota from the afternoon of Ms Zhang’s disappearance.

Detectives on the street from where Ms Zhang disappeared.

The boyfriend of the missing mum was ­released without charge on Monday night.

Joon Seong Tan, 35, was questioned for hours by detectives from the missing persons squad, a day after his arrest in his home suburb of Doncaster.

There are fears Ms Zhang has been killed and her body hidden by whoever did it.

Mr Tan’s questioning came seven days after she was last seen alive — barefoot and in pink pyjamas — at her Winchester Ave, Epping, home.

Mr Tan has told investigators she set off for a walk and disappeared at 5.30pm that day.

But those who know the 33-year-old have told police she would not leave her eight-year-old son.

Joon Seong Tan, boyfriend of missing Epping mum Kelly Zhang. Picture: Josie Hayden

Mr Tan has been a person of interest to investigators from the inquiry’s earliest stages.

On Saturday they were forced to go public in their search for him, publicly stating he had spent days “actively avoiding” them.

The Herald Sun has been told the disappearance of Ms Zhang was initially regarded as a “kidnapping case” by her close contacts.

Police were told Ms Zhang, 33, had only her mobile phone with her when she left her Winchester Ave, Epping, home on February 1.

Joon Seong Tan was arrested in Doncaster.

Missing Epping mum Ju Zhang.

Joon Seong Tan and Ju Zhang.

One of Ms Zhang’s family members returned to the street in the hours after she was reported missing on Tuesday to ask neighbours for information about her whereabouts.

It’s understood her last mobile phone activity was in the street and her family were under the impression she may have been kidnapped.

A public appeal for information shared by her relative read: “If anyone has any knowledge where a black iphone XS could be, it was last seen opened around Winchester Ave, Epping, in which is related to a kidnapping case”.

“This iPhone has a lot of useful information inside. $3000 from the family to anyone who is able to recover the phone. Please spread this around as much as possible to help find the missing family member. “

It is unclear whether Ms Zhang’s family were told she had been kidnapped or assumed it based on the initial missing person report filed by Mr Tan.

Mr Tan, a Malaysian national, works as a plasterer.

He was present when Ms Zhang was reported missing at a police station last Tuesday.

It was not long before police believed he may have vital information but they were unable to track him down.

A source close to the family told the Sunday Herald Sun Kelly Zhang’s mother, based in China, is beyond distraught and fearing the worst.

“Her mother is very upset and very sad. She has prepared for her daughter to be gone,” the source said.

Ms Zhang was last seen on Monday.

Missing Epping woman Ju Zhang.

It can be revealed that prior to going on the run, Mr Tan visited several of Ms Zhang’s neighbours asking if they had CCTV cameras. One neighbour said Mr Tan gave no explanation about why he wanted the footage.

“He was asking for the footage and (my parents) said we didn’t have any, then he disappeared,” the neighbour said.

It is unclear if signs of violence were found during police searches at Ms Zhang’s home.

Ms Zhang was described by police as a loving mother who would never leave her son at home alone or with a non-family member. The day of her disappearance, she posted a video of her son eating a meal she had lovingly prepared.

Missing Persons Squad Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said Ms Zhang was a “very loving mother” to her eight-year-old son and her disappearance was out of character.

Police confirmed Mr Tan was present when Ms Zhang was reported missing last Tuesday. He kept in contact with police for several days but said he later disappeared and made deliberate attempts to avoid being found.

Ms Zhang’s son is now being looked after by his father.

Originally published as Neighbours heard disturbance hours after Epping mum Ju Zhang went missing