Police draw a blank after searching home for clues on teen last seen 23 years ago
Police hunting for clues on what happened to a schoolboy who went missing in 1999 have found nothing during their search of a Black Country home.
Phillip Harris was only 15 when he vanished 23 years ago after telling his foster parents he was going to stay at a friend’s house in Northfield.
Last week West Midlands Police said officers were searching a property in St Paul’s Road, Smethwick which was linked to the teenager at the time.
A line of forensic tents were set up in the back garden as officers were seen entering the home with camera equipment.
They have now revealed that detectives have finished the search and nothing has been found to shed light on what happened to Phillip, who would currently be 38.
Detective Inspector Jim Church, from CID at West Midlands Police, said: “Sadly there has been no proof of life for Phillip in all these years and we need to explore all the information we have to see if we can find out what happened to him.
“We have been in touch with Phillip’s family and made them aware of our investigations and the update on the search of the property in Smethwick.
“We still believe that someone holds the key to Phillip’s disappearance and we would urge anyone with information to contact us.”
Phillip left his home in St Eleanors Close in West Bromwich on the morning of July 28, 1999 to visit a friend in Northfield.
Later that day he phoned his foster parents to say he would be staying overnight with a friend, but hasn’t been seen since.
In spite of media appeals, both in Birmingham and Manchester, where he had family links, there have been no confirmed sightings of him.
West Midlands Police said the current residents are not connected to the enquiry and were rehoused while the search was conducted.
Phillip’s family have also called for anyone with information to come forward.
In a statement, they said: “We think about Phillip every day. We love him and miss him more than words can say.
"If anyone has any information about what has happened to Phillip or where he might be please let the police know.
"Even though he has been missing for many years we are still desperate to know where Phillip is so that we can have some closure.”
Information can be given via live chat at west-midlands.police.uk or by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting log 1825.
