Richard Okorogheye was last seen on CCTV (right) in the Loughton area early on Tuesday, 23 March (credit: Metropolitan Police)
The 19 year-old Oxford Brookes University student left his family home in the Ladbroke Grove area of Kensington in west London on the evening of Monday, 22 March, before being reported missing on Wednesday, 24 March.
Enquiries have established that Mr Okorogheye took a taxi journey from the W2 area of London to a residential street in Loughton.
He was captured on CCTV walking alone on Smarts Lane in the Essex area towards Epping Forest at 00.39am on Tuesday, 23 March.
Metropolitan Police detectives are now conducting searches in and around the forest as well as carrying out door-to-door enquiries, alongside specialist search teams and colleagues from Essex Police.
Detective Chief Inspector Nicki Beecher, from the from the Met’s Area West Public Protection Unit, said: “It has now been nine days since Richard was last seen in person and we remain as committed as ever to locating him and bringing him home to his family.
“Our officers are working extremely hard to piece together the facts in order to build a picture of Richard’s movements on the evening of Monday, 22 March.
“Latest information suggests he was last seen in Loughton in Essex and we are now focusing our attention here with specialist search officers from across the Met brought in to assist.
“Our enquiries also continue in the Ladbroke Grove, W10 area where local officers have been carrying out search patrols and also community patrols to gather information from local residents.
“I would once again like to renew our appeal to the public for any information which may assist with our enquiries. If you may have seen Richard – particularly in the Loughton area – or have any information at all, please contact the police.”
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Tags: Essex, Epping, Loughton, Epping Forest, Essex Police, Metropolitan Police
