Strike Force set-up to investigate the disappearance of Campsie woman Qi Yu
POLICE fear a woman who went missing from her townhouse in south west Sydney on Friday may have been murdered, after her car was discovered in a neighbouring suburb.
NSW
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POLICE fear a woman missing from her townhouse in southwest Sydney could have been murdered, after her car was discovered in a neighbouring suburb.
A strike force involving local detectives and the Homicide Squad has been set-up to investigate the disappearance of 28-year-old Chinese national Qi Yu.
Ms Yu was last seen by friends at her share house in Loch St, Campsie at 7.15pm on Friday.
One of her housemates noticed she was not in her room on Saturday and went to Campsie police station at 9am to report her missing.
Neighbours reported hearing her distressed roommates saying “her car’s gone, her car’s gone”.
“By Saturday morning there were police all over the place … we all got a shock over it,” neighbour Rhonda Hall said yesterday.
“More detectives came back today taking our name and phone numbers … I said it didn’t look good for her.”
At 6pm Saturday police released their first appeal for information on Ms Yu’s whereabouts, adding that her white Toyota Corolla was also missing.
But two hours later police found the car in Lindsay St at Burwood, four kilometres from her home, and spent the weekend questioning residents on what they had seen.
Neighbours said police spent some time speaking to a woman in the street they believe was known to Ms Yu.
Yesterday, police issued a second public plea for information, announcing Homicide Squad had joined the investigation over the weekend and there were “grave concerns for her welfare”.
Ms Yu’s last known communication was with family in China the night she went missing.
Friends and family said it was unlike her to leave suddenly without telling anyone.
Police suspect the movement of Ms Yu’s car will be vital in the investigation, appealing for anyone who saw the vehicle — numberplate DLK 13P — between 7pm Friday and 8.30pm Saturday to contact police.
Ms Yu is described as being of Asian appearance, 170cm tall with a slim build and brown hair.
The property where she had been living was still a crime scene yesterday — police stood guard at the series of small townhouses at the rear of the small complex, which was only developed in the last 12 months .