This National Missing Persons Week (NMPW), the AFP’s National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) is urging Australians to think of the people they love and ask what their life would be like without them.
Here’s a list of some missing people to the South East.
If you have information that may assist police to locate a missing person, please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Li Bing Di
Last seen: Dandenong
Missing since: Sunday, 4 February, 2001
Age now: 44
Gender: Male
Height: 168cm
Build: Slim
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Li Bing Di was 22 when he was last seen leaving his father’s house in Dandenong South, on or around 4 February 2001.
Born in China, Li was seven years old when his family moved to Australia.
He was living in Westminster St in Hampton Park with his mother Yu Lan Jarret and stepfather Ian Jarrett when their house burnt down in December 2000.
After the fire, Li moved in with his father and stepmother and two half siblings to Kirkham Rd Dandenong South.
According to reports at the time, Li felt guilty that the fire may have started from one of his discarded cigarettes.
Apparently he became quite depressed and kept to himself.
Li’s father Suo Fan Di was the last person to see Li. It is not known why Li was leaving the house on that day.
Enquiries made by police established Li had been staying on occasion at an address on Jesson Crescent, Dandenong in the year leading up to his disappearance which is where his ex-partner was living.
Li didn’t have a car, he had very little money and did not take any of his personal belongings with him.
Mahalingam Sinnathamby
Last Seen: Noble Park
Missing since: Thursday, 25 August, 2005
Age now: 84
Gender: Male
Height: 175cm
Build: Slim
Hair: Grey
Noble Park man Mahalingham Sinnathamby was 68 years old when he went missing in 2005.
Sinnathamby came to Australia after fleeing Sri Lanka due to political turmoil.
He had lived alone in Noble Park for 10 years and had irregular contact with his family.
According to reports at the time, Sinnathamby’s family had tried to contact him via phone and in person between August and November of 2005, but were unsuccessful in their attempts.
Concerned, they went to police who conducted a welfare check at Sinnathamby’s home but were unable to locate him.
He was formally listed as a missing person on 24 November, 2005.
Enquiries confirmed he had not left the country or been in touch with family interstate in Sydney.
His son Uthayakumar expressed his anguish about the situation, and said he even had to quit his job due to the stress of not knowing what had happened to his father.
It was reported that Sinnathamby’s only regular movements were to walk to the nearby shops in Heatherton Road, Noble Park and to travel to his doctor in Carrum Downs by bus.
Police confirmed the last reported sighting of Sinnathamby was when he attended a doctor’s appointment in Hall Road, Carrum Downs around 9.50am 25 August 2005.
Investigators then believe he filled a prescription before returning home with the medication.
In 2013, investigators identified a person of interest in the case and released an composite image of a man they wished to speak to in relation to Sinnathamby’s disappearance.
They also revealed that Sinnathamby’s bank account had not been accessed since July 2005.
Apparently he was known to withdraw his pension every fortnight to purchase groceries.
His disappearance is considered suspicious.
Greater Dandenong Crime Investigation Unit Detective Senior Constable Kane Taylor said in 2013 police had received anonymous information through Crime Stoppers and urged the caller to make contact again.
In February 2014, Detective Senior Constable Kane Taylor – then in the Greater Dandenong CIU told a Coroner’s Court direction hearing that police believed Sinnathamby to be deceased.
Richard Hadwick
Last seen: Belgrave South
Missing since: Saturday, 19 May, 1990
Age now: 53
Gender: Male
Height: 182cm
Build: Thin
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Blue
Richard Hadwick was last seen leaving his Belgrave South home, heading out to celebrate his 21st birthday on Saturday 19 May, 1990.
Last seen by his parents at 12.30am, he had returned home to change his clothes, and said a taxi was waiting in the driveway to take him to Foster’s Disco in Dandenong.
He had little money on him and did not take any spare clothes or belongings.
He worked at Bayswater Joinery, but has not turned up to work since his disappearance.
Bailed to Dandenong Magistrates Court on burglary charges on 24 May 1990, reports indicate he may have been afraid he would be sent to prison.
Sadly, Richard has not been seen since.
Tej Chitnis
Last seen: Healesville VIC
Missing since: Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Age now: 27
Gender: Male
Height: 175cm
Build: Medium
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Complexion: Dark
Then 22-year-old Tej Chitnis was last seen around 10am on Wednesday 27 April 2016 leaving his Burwood East home in his 2005 VW Golf Hatchback with Victorian registration plates TTF 517.
Typically, he would drive to Blackburn Railway station, park his car in a nearby street and catch public transport to university.
On this day however, Tej’s car was last seen travelling east on the Maroondah Highway, Healesville near the intersection of Green Street about 11.34am.
His phone was turned off at 11.27am.
He was expected to return home around 4pm in time to attend his father’s birthday dinner that night, but failed to arrive.
His bank account and mobile phone have not been used since his disappearance and his VW Golf has never been located.
Tej was last seen wearing a t-shirt, jeans and black Adidas runners.
He was enrolled at Deakin University in Geelong where he studies Science/Biomedicine, however reports indicate he had not attended classes since 2014.
Tej held a part-time job at Officeworks in Vermont South, played on a basketball team and had a good circle of friends.
His disappearance was characterised as out of character, police said.
Tej’s father Jayant Chitnis told The Age in 2019 his son showed no signs of depression of withdrawal at the time of his disappearance.
Cresencia Dancel
Last seen: Pakenham
Missing Since: Thursday 5 January, 2012
Age now: 53
Gender: Female
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Complexion: Olive
Cresencia Dancel was last seen leaving the home she was staying at in the Pakenham area on 5 January, 2012.
She had arrived in Australia in August 2011 from the Philippines on a six-month visa which was due to expire on 10 January 2012.
At the time of her disappearance, Cresencia was staying with extended family, who told police she left a note for them apologising for her actions and hoping they could one day forgive her.
All of her belongings had been taken on the day she left and she has not been seen or heard from since.
Records indicate she had booked a flight home, but never boarded the plane and has not left the country since.
She has three children and a husband in the Philippines, who at the time indicated she had intended on remaining and hiding in Australia to send money back to her family in the Philippines to provide them a better life.
There has been no contact since.
Cresencia had no known history with Victoria Police or any known undesirables. Victoria Police have corresponded with other state and territory jurisdictions and have been unable to establish where she is.
