Missing man 'may have been abducted'

Richard Locker, 53, was last seen in Mill Lane in Torquay

A man who went missing 11 months ago may have been abducted and harmed, according to a private investigator who has been brought in by his family to try to find out why he disappeared.

Richard Locker, 53, was last seen in Mill Lane in Torquay, Devon, on CCTV heading towards his parked van in the early hours of January 5 2024.

Private investigator, Mick Randall, is filing a report to the police. The family has also complained to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) about the way the case has been handled.

Devon and Cornwall Police said: "We are aware of a complaint being made to the force, via the IOPC. We are now assessing it. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

'Life in danger'

"There is evidence to suggest that he was threatened by individuals" said Mr Randall.

"There is information to suggest that those individuals are connected to an organised crime group in Manchester or certainly the North. He had been threatened and his life was in danger."

"He made that known to a number of people. He also made it known that he was going to the police and talk about his concerns in relation to the criminality, and there's further information to suggest that the organised crime group knew that that was going to happen. I believe that he was picked up and abducted," said Mr Randall.

The former Metropolitan Police detective said there was nothing to suggest Mr Locker, from Paignton, was involved in criminality himself.

Private investigator, Mick Randall, is filing a report to the police

Richard's fiancee Sharon Molloy said "It's been horrible.

"Everyday, every night, it's just heart-breaking not knowing where he is."

"We need to do this. The police gave up. They gave up a few weeks into Rich being missing.

"We've had no help from them whatsoever at all."