00:00There is no mandatory period. There is an age-old rumor I would use where you have to wait 24
00:07hours. That is not so.
00:09It depends on the situation. Let me look at, for instance, a child going missing, went to school and nobody
00:16knows where the child is after school.
00:18It would be ridiculous to wait for 24 hours. So that thing about waiting, there is no time limit to
00:25make the report.
00:26Senior Superintendent Parryman also reminded persons of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service's open-door policy, urging them to make
00:33such reports at any police station.
00:35He said once a missing person's report is made, it is immediately sent to the AKU, with investigative teams being
00:41deployed at once.
00:43The advice comes as police figures show that 24 people, including three minors, remained unaccounted for in missing person cases.
00:49The statistics presented today at the weekly press briefing showed that 307 missing person reports were recorded this year between
00:57January 1st and September 30th, 135 involving minors.
01:02Police said 283 persons had been accounted for, including 20 who had been found dead. Two of the deceased were
01:08minors.
01:09The figures presented for 2025 showed that 341 missing person reports were made, including 150 involving minors.
01:17Of those cases, 324 people were accounted for, including 23 who were found dead.
01:23Three minors were among the 17 people who remained unaccounted for.
01:28Police are also reporting an increase in kidnapping for ransom cases, from six during the January to September period in
01:342025 to seven over the same period this year.
01:37The TTP has said all six hostages reported in 2025 and all seven reported in 2026 were safely located, rescued
01:46and released.
01:48Six people were charged in connection with three cases in 2025, while two people were charged in 2026.
01:55Inspector Jason Phillip of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit is advising the public not to negotiate directly with abductors over ransom
02:02demands, but to report the matters to the police.
02:05Do not attempt, and I will say it again, do not attempt, to negotiate with any abductors in relation to
02:14ransom demands for the release of any hostage.
02:18The service is also urging the public to take precautions, including varying travel routes and times, keeping vehicle doors locked,
02:26using verified transport services, and avoiding social media posts, which reveal real-time locations or travel plans.
02:35Alexander Broussoual, TV6 News.
