Theo Hayez: $500,000 reward announced for information on missing backpacker

A $500,000 reward has been announced for information into the disappearance of Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez in Byron Bay three years ago. Watch the video.

Police hope a $500,000 reward for information into the disappearance of teen Theo Hayez from Byron Bay will fill the “missing moments” in the Belgian backpacker’s last known steps.

Byron Bay police officer Detective Acting Superintendent Brendon Cullen announced the $500,000 reward to media on Wednesday, prior to resumption into the Theo Hayez coronial inquest at Byron Bay Local Court.

The 18-year-old was last seen about 11pm on Friday, May 31, in 2019 outside a nightclub on Jonson Street.

Police were alerted on June 6, 2019, when he failed to return to his hostel and could not be contacted or located.

Police, State Emergency Service volunteers, NSW Surf Life Saving volunteers and the Byron Bay community have all helped in the years since to track down Theo to no avail.

Supt Cullen said it had been an exhaustive search.

“We’ve conducted land, air and sea searches and to this date, we have been unable to locate Theo,” he said.

“We would hope that this reward brings to the forefront of people’s minds the disappearance of Theo and if there is someone or people out there that knows anything that we don’t already know we would ask them to come forward.

“We’re very keen to know what happened to Theo, where he may be.”

The matter was referred to the NSW Coroner, with an inquest beginning in November last year.

The continuation of the inquest, presided by State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan, is expected to run until Friday.

Police theories have previously included that Theo tried to climb the cliffs at Cosy Corner, fell, and was swept out to sea.

But Supt Cullen said he said he could not comment on evidence before the coroner.

He said the electronic trail of Theo’s could be traced from the Cheeky Monkeys nightclub to Tallow’s Beach but police had not physical witnesses to verify what happened next.

“We are going to all lengths that can to get as much info as we can,” Supt Cullen said.

“This has been an exhaustive investigation that police have done a fantastic job in investigating this matter and this reward is being offered because there a gap in what we know.”

He said the family had been pleased with the announcement of the reward.

“This has been a very, very sad event,” Supt Cullen said.

“It has touched the family, it has touched the police who investigated it, it has touched the community.

“If this prompts someone to do something, to say something, to speak to someone then the reward will be successful.”

Detective Acting Superintendent Brendon Cullen says the search for Belgian teen Theo Hayez has been exhaustive: Picture: Tessa Flemming

Deputy Premier and Police Minister, Paul Toole, said he hoped the reward would encourage anyone who was yet to provide information to police to come forward.

“Theo was a young man who had his entire life ahead of him and his family cannot rest until they know what happened to him,” Mr Toole said.

“The pain of losing a loved one is bad enough, but the mystery surrounding this case only adds to that pain.”

Theo’s family have issued a statement, thanking the NSW Government and NSW Police for their ongoing support in pursuing what happened to their son.

“We have tried to reach many people already, in the local community, in Australia and overseas,” the statement reads.

“Our hope with the reward is to reach out to more people as well as motivate people to talk to the authorities and overcome any barriers they might have to doing so.

“$500,000 can change someone‘s life. Please, if you have any information that can help us, come forward now, don’t wait any longer.”

Investigations under Strike Force Mulgray continue.

Anyone with information about Theo Hayez’s whereabouts or the circumstances of his disappearance are urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.