Chloe Mitchell: Second arrest as Ballymena searches continue
- Published
Search teams are covering a large area in Ballymena
A second man has been arrested by police investigating the disappearance of a 21-year-old County Antrim woman.
Chloe Mitchell, who is described as a "high-risk missing person", was last seen in Ballymena between the night of 2 June and the early hours of 3 June.
Her brother Phillip Mitchell said he was broken by her disappearance and appealed for information.
A 34-year-old man was arrested on Saturday morning and remains in police custody.
Police have been granted a further 36 hours to question a 26-year-old man who was arrested in Lurgan in County Armagh on Thursday.
Police have said they are increasingly concerned for the young woman's safety and have renewed their appeal for information.
Anyone who thinks they have footage or information can use the police's major incident public portal - a 24-hour online reporting platform., external
Chloe Mitchell has been missing for a week
"It is completely out of character for her to not be in contact with her family, who are being supported by specialist officers during this worrying time," Supt Gillian Kearney said on Saturday.
"I am appealing to anyone who was travelling through the James Street area in Ballymena from 22:00 on Friday, 2nd June and 17:40 on Thursday, 8th June to think if they saw Chloe or anything unusual.
"I would also appeal for anyone with dash-cam footage during this period to bring it to police."
Both police and the Community Rescue Service (CRS) have been conducting searches in and around Ballymena since Thursday night.
There have been detailed searches in the Harryville area, the River Braid, surrounding parklands and the Ecos centre.
On Saturday, undergrowth, river banks and bins were being checked.
The CRS said it planned to carry on searching through the night from Saturday into Sunday.
Police and rescue personnel conducted searches along the Braid River in the County Antrim town in the past few days
Police are conducting door-to-door inquiries close to a flat in James Street.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said Ms Mitchell was seen on CCTV walking in the direction of James Street last weekend.
"I am appealing directly to Chloe to make contact with the police, family or friends so that we know you are safe and well," Supt Kearney said.
Ms Mitchell was last seen wearing a green and black The North Face-style jacket, a white T-shirt, leggings and Nike trainers.
One of the search sites on Friday evening was close to the Ecos centre in Ballymena
Darren Harper from the CRS said a substantial number of its volunteers were involved in the search.
"Because of the weather conditions, because it's 18C, 19C, 20C here at the minute, we need to bring them in, rotate them, give them a break, get the water on board," he said.
"Whenever they're out on the ground there, they're not sticking to the roads and paths, they're going through shrubbery - dense, dense growth.
"The guys are doing a fantastic job out on the ground and they are making sure that everything is thoroughly searched. We're determined to find Chloe."
Darren Harper said conditions for the search were difficult
He thanked people in the area for the support they had given his team of volunteers.
"The community has been absolutely fantastic in supporting us, dropping off cases of water, food, buns and biscuits," he said.
"So I have to give it to the community in the Harryville and wider Ballymena area, they've been absolutely fantastic."
- Published9 June 2023
