Owami Davies could be in need of help near location where she went missing

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A student nurse who went missing in south London last month could be “in the local area and in need of help”, the Metropolitan police have said.

Owami Davies, 24, was last seen just after midnight on 7 July, walking in west Croydon in south London.

An unconfirmed sighting placed her in nearby Clarendon Road later that morning, at about 7am.

After members of the public reported a number of potential sightings of Davies, officers have downloaded about 50,000 hours of CCTV and have viewed about 10,000 hours.

DCI Nigel Penney, who is leading the investigation, said: “The search to find Owami Davies continues and we are conducting searches, appeals and extensive CCTV inquiries in order to trace and find her. I would remind people that even though detectives from specialist crime are investigating, this remains a missing person inquiry.

“We are obviously very concerned for the welfare of Owami and it is possible she is in the local area and in need of help.

“We have reports of someone of Owami’s description being seen in the Croydon area in the days after she was last seen on CCTV and we sincerely hope to find her safe and well.”

Davies’s mother, Nicol Davies, has made appeals for help to find her daughter.

Previously speaking to the PA news agency, Nicol Davies said: “It is obvious that someone out there has seen something, someone out there knows something, someone out there heard something.

“I am begging, I am asking for the public’s help, from the people, to say if you know, if you have heard or seen her, or she passed you, please speak up. All we really want is to find her, all we really need is for her to come home or to know her whereabouts.”

Officers have arrested five people – two on suspicion of murder and three on suspicion of kidnap. The most recent arrest was that of a 27-year-old man, on suspicion of kidnap on 6 August. All those arrested have been released on bail pending further investigation.

Penney said the investigation into the missing student had already had an extraordinary amount of support from the local community.

He added: “We are only concerned for your welfare and want to make sure you are OK. You can contact us, or a charity like Missing People on 116 000 and just speak to let us know that you are OK. Owami, your family love you and are desperate for news, they would be overjoyed to hear you are safe.

“We have already had outstanding support from the local community, partners and businesses and we appreciate everyone who has contacted us or helped publicise the search for Owami.”

Anyone with information can call the police on 020 8721 4622, or to remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or online.