South Wales Police were spotted combing a Cardiff park, which they have confirmed is part of their search for Charlene Hobbs who has now been missing since July 2024
A still of Charlene Hobbs from CCTV footage (Image: South Wales Police)
South Wales Police confirmed they are searching an area of parkland in Cardiff as part of their investigation into the disappearance of a woman missing since July 2024. Police said the case of Charlene Hobbs is being treated as a murder investigation.
Over the weekend police officers were seen searching through Moorland Gardens in Splott. Residents said they had seen police searching the park and police vans nearby for the last few days
The investigation has so far involved speaking to hundreds of people and police visiting more than 600 properties.
A South Wales Police spokesperson confirmed: “Police officers are searching the area as part of an on-going investigation into the disappearance of Charlene Hobbs.” Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here.
Specialist officers searching for clues which could lead to the discovery of Charlene Hobbs earlier this year(Image: South Wales Police)
The force revealed in June this year that they were treating the 35-year-old’s disappearance as murder. It followed complaints from Charlene’s family that they had not taken it seriously.
Charlene was last seen in the Adamsdown area of Cardiff, with a distinctive dragon tattoo on her back.
A family member told WalesOnline that six weeks had passed before the force opened a missing person’s file after they reported her missing in 2024.
South Wales Police said it was looking into how it handled the case after Charlene’s family raised concerns that officers “overlooked” initial reports about her disappearance.
Charlene’s cousin Dean Hobbs told WalesOnline she was reported missing three times over a six week period before an investigation was launched.
Dean said: “Six weeks had passed by the time police opened a missing person’s case which is a long time. And I think the reason for that was because of the person she was, and how police viewed her. There could have been more evidence available if it started earlier.”
In response, South Wales Police said: “South Wales Police acknowledges the concerns raised about how previous missing person reports about Charlene’s whereabouts were handled.
“We are reviewing whether our response to these reports was appropriate.”
The force went on to describe the current investigation as “complex and meticulous,” describing how it has so far involved speaking to hundreds of people and visiting more than 600 properties.
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