Top cop’s stern words in private search for Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon, 50 years after disappearance

Police have issued cautionary words to a team of private investigators who are searching for the remains of two girls who disappeared from an AFL match in 1973.

South Australia’s top cop has issued a cautionary word for private investigators searching for the remains of two young girls who were snatched from an oval in Adelaide more than 50 years ago.

Joanne Ratcliffe, 11, and Kirste Gordon, 4, were last seen with their families at an AFL match in Adelaide Oval on August 25, 1973.

The two girls were sitting alongside their families at the Edwin Smith stand when they left to go to the toilet together about 3.45pm.

Kirste Gordon, 4, disappeared from Adelaide Oval in 1973. Picture: Australian Federal Police

Joanne Ratcliffe, 11, was also reported missing from the oval and never seen since. Picture: AFP

The two girls failed to return, prompting Joanne’s father to search for them.

A missing-person report was filed a short time later.

Witnesses claim they saw the girls being forcibly removed and carried away by a man, believed to be in his 40s.

Police released an identikit composite photo of the suspect in September 1973.

The man was seen wearing a distinctive hat at the time of the girls’ disappearance.. Used "The Advertiser" 28 Aug 1973.

The girls were never seen again, leading police to believe they were abducted and murdered.

A composite sketch of the man believed to have taken the girls – in which he is wearing a distinctive hat – was released by SA Police in September 1973, and has been regularly associated with the case in the decades since.

No one has been charged in relation to their disappearance.

Journalist Bryan Littlely and Ratcliffe’s sister Suzie - co-founders the missing persons awareness group, Leave A Light On Inc - have led the new private investigations into an old farmhouse in Yatina.

The privately-funded search took place at an old shed which belonged to Steven Hart, a former suspect in the girls’ disappearance and father of convicted pedophile Mark Trevor Marshall, who claimed his father was responsible for the girls’ abduction and murder.

A new private search for the remains of missing girls began in Yatina. Picture: Facebook

On Friday, Mr Littlely and the investigations team tore apart the old shed and discovered animal bones, bottles and rubbish, but failed to produce any evidence or new leads.

South Australia police commissioner Grant Stevens cautioned the investigators, warning the digs may cause more emotional distress for the girls’ families.

“I would go so far as to say people who undertake these private searchers for historical crimes for Joanne, Kirste and the Beaumonts need to be mindful of the impact it has on the families of those people,” he said per 7News.

“Because it potentially raises hope.”

The team discovered animal bones and empty glass bottles. Picture: Facebook

However, they failed to discover any new evidence. Picture: Facebook

On Friday, Mr Littlely responded to commissioner Stevens’ comments online and stressed he and the team were “not done” with their investigation.

“We are mindful of the families of these girls and we know doing our private investigation brings these cases forward and into the spotlight. … that is the point,” he said.

“We have lots of items and info to check, interviews to process.

“We’re not done.”

A South Australia Police spokesperson said the disappearance of the two girls “remains an active and ongoing investigation”.

Originally published as Top cop’s stern words in private search for Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon, 50 years after disappearance