Intensive search for missing senior citizen in Grefrath remains unsuccessful

Intensive search for missing senior citizen in Grefrath remains unsuccessful

An elderly woman has been missing in Grefrath near Viersen since Tuesday evening, June 25, 2025. Despite intensive searches, the Viersen police have so far been unable to find any trace of the missing people. The operation, in which numerous forces were mobilized, is now being scaled back Express reported.

The means used included helicopters, drones, area search dogs and man-trailer dogs, as well as a variety of motorized, bicycle and foot emergency services. But despite all efforts, the search was unsuccessful. The previous measures cannot be continued in the dark, which is why the police use their helicopter with a thermal imaging camera if the temperatures allow it.

Call for the public's help

The police would like to thank the public for their numerous tips and ask people not to be surprised by noises or sightings of the helicopter in Grefrath or the surrounding areas. If you see the missing woman, you are urged to call 110 immediately. A photo of the missing person is available via the NRW police's public search service, as well as on the website Police NRW can be found.

In Germany, around 200 to 300 people are reported missing every day fr.de. A large proportion of these cases are solved quickly, but around three percent of missing people have been missing for more than a year. Especially in older people, this can often be caused by health problems or other circumstances. Children under the age of 14 are generally considered missing as soon as they leave their usual environment and their whereabouts are unknown.

Missing person cases and their processing

Processing missing person cases is an important task for the police, which is often carried out in collaboration with the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA). The BKA, founded in 1951 as the central criminal police agency in Germany, monitors and coordinates such cases, especially when there is a suspicion of danger to life or limb. The BKA website provides extensive information on missing people and the guidelines that apply to them.

If there is an acute danger, large-scale search measures are initiated, which often also involve the riot police and emergency services. The police record missing people in the INPOL information system and initiate appropriate searches. In addition, missing minors are generally assumed to be at risk and, if necessary, handed over to state custody.

It is all the more important that the population reacts quickly in the event of a disappearance and informs the authorities. In the current search for the elderly lady in Grefrath, the hope remains that new clues will emerge that will lead to her being found.