DNA tests may reveal answers

Taupo police are awaiting the results of fingerprinting and DNA tests being carried out on missing Hamilton woman Fran Martin's car.

The 42-year-old was last seen two weeks ago today on a security video at Hamilton's Naylor St Caltex service station, where she was buying petrol.

Her abandoned car was found near Wairakei the next day.

Detective Sergeant Dave Beattie of Taupo said forensic checks, including fingerprinting and DNA tests, were being carried out on Ms Martin's car by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research and police hoped to have the results soon.

Police now believed her car may have been stolen and dumped on State Highway 5 near Wairakei, where it was found with her keys and wallet inside.

Police have offered an amnesty to anyone who has information about how the missing woman's car came to be at Wairakei near the intersection of State Highway 1 and 5. Mr Beattie said the car might have been stolen by someone from the Wairakei area.

"We just want to know where they have flogged it from. If that has happened our answers lie with where they took her car from."

He said police could then start searching the area where the car was taken from.

Police were still treating her case as a missing person file and Hamilton police were also searching for her. She was last seen in Hamilton.

Ms Martin is on medication after an accident about 10 years ago.

Police have said that without her medication she may not be making clear decisions. Her bank accounts have not been touched.

Mr Beattie said police were looking at security footage from the Wairakei BP station around the time of the last firm sighting of the car at 7.30am on April 21.