Police launch new search for missing Craigieburn man Adrian Romeo in Greenvale, Melbourne

Police have launched a new search for missing Craigieburn man Adrian Romeo using cadaver dogs, with the latest effort focused on a block of land in Melbourne’s north.

Police have launched a new search for missing Craigieburn man Adrian Romeo targeting a property in Melbourne’s north.

A multi-agency search was launched at a block of land along Brendan Rd in Greenvale on Thursday.

Members from the Dog Squad, Major Crime Scene, State Emergency Service, New South Wales cadaver dogs and the Australian Federal Police’s specialist forensic team could be seen scouring land in the rain on Thursday morning.

The latest effort to find Mr Romeo, who police and his family fear has been murdered, follows police probing a rural property near Sunbury earlier this week.

Adrian Romeo was last seen by family in early February. Picture: Supplied

SES volunteers, donning high visibility suits, were seen searching the area along Brodies Creek.

The search area appears to be focused on a home that overlooks the creek, as investigators made their way in and out of the home just after midday.

Rubbish could be seen strewn across the overgrown front lawn at the property as police tape and heavy-duty police vehicles cordoned off the driveway.

The house sits at the edge of a large housing development, with half-built homes littered throughout the street on and near Brendan Rd.

The search area for missing Craigieburn man Adrian Romeo. Picture: Fergus Ellis

Man charged after property probed at Wildwood

A man was charged on Tuesday after Homicide Squad detectives probed land northwest of Melbourne as part of an investigation into Mr Romeo’s disappearance.

A warrant and search was executed at a rural property off Wildwood Rd in Wildwood, near Sunbury, on Tuesday morning.

Mr Romeo, a much-loved son and brother, went missing after he left his family home to go buy cigarettes and see some associates on February 10.

His disappearance has been deemed suspicious and police suspect he was murdered.

Police allegedly seized a gun, ammunition and drugs from the Wildwood Rd property, and four allegedly stolen vehicles had also been found.

A 34-year-old Wildwood man was arrested and was charged by local detectives late on Tuesday afternoon.

He was charged with prohibited person possess firearm, possess cartridge ammunition, possess imitation firearm, handle stolen goods and possessing drugs of dependence.

Detectives from the Homicide Squad are appealing for public assistance as part of their investigation into the suspicious disappearance of Craigieburn man Adrian Romeo.

The man is believed to have lived in a rundown bus located at the front of the property.

Diggers, camper vans and other miscellaneous items were seen strewn on the ground.

Small “shacks” and other run-down dwellings and cars are also dotted on the sizeable block.

Significant resources were deployed to the property throughout Tuesday morning, with members from the Search and Rescue Squad, Water Police and the Dog Squad included in the search effort.

Specialist cadaver dogs from NSW have also been brought in to assist alongside a specialist forensic team from the AFP.

Dams and dwellings scattered around the property have formed part of the extensive search warrant.

Police drones were also seen circling overhead above the property.

A security camera taken from a tree overlooking the entrance to the rural Wildwood property will form part of the investigation.

Investigators also seized three motorcycles that were found at the property, where about 20 police and SES crew remained on Tuesday afternoon.

Mr Romeo disappeared five months ago and police allege he was murdered sometime after he left to buy cigarettes and see associates at a property in Greenvale.

The 43-year-old was last seen by his family about 5.30pm on Saturday, February 10, leaving his Dempster Dr home in his gold 2004 Toyota Camry.

After not hearing from him, his family reported him missing two days later.

The 43-year-old told his parents he was going to Greenvale to visit some associates and left the property in a gold 2004 Toyota Camry sedan.

Launching a public appeal for information on Sunday, Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said their investigation had stagnated until police received several anonymous tips.

“We have, over the course of several months, received anonymous information that has come to us that points towards people out there knowing Adrian’s movements right at the very end and also what has actually happened to him,” Insp. Thomas said.

Investigators believe Mr Romeo made it to his intended destination in Greenvale and he spoke with a number of his friends and associates.

Insp. Thomas said at this stage, they appeared to be the last people to have seen him before he disappeared.

He said Mr Romeo was known to police on minor matters prior to his disappearance, but he had no links to organised crime.

His associates in Greenvale are known to police and spoke with detectives in the days after he vanished.

Police and SES crews are searching a rural property in relation to missing man Adrian Romeo. Picture: Victoria Police

After pouring over hours of CCTV footage – to no avail – and contacting family, friends and those who might have last seen him, the Homicide Squad made a public appeal for more information on Sunday.

Insp. Thomas said police, family and friends were increasingly concerned about Mr Romeo, having originally believed he had left of his own accord.

“He appeared to be much loved by everyone who knew him and had a close circle of friends he had known for some years,” Insp. Thomas said.

Mr Romeo’s cousin, Charlie, told media on Sunday morning their family had been left “distraught” by the sudden disappearance of a “very caring, loving person”.

Holding a hoarse voice and clearly, visibly emotional, Charlie said his cousin would never have harmed anybody.

“(He’s a) hard worker, loved by a lot of people … how this has happened, we don’t know,” he said.

Mr Romeo used to do security and years ago he worked as a concreter for his cousin.

Charlie said the family had suspected foul play was involved when they learned his phone and bank cards had not been touched in the weeks and months since he vanished.

“They are pretty distraught, they’re still living on hope,” he said.

Charlie added Mr Romeo’s father, in particular, had been left crushed in the months following his son’s disappearance.

He said Mr Romeo had been living at his father’s home and the pair had been very close.