Focus changes in search for Hamilton's Nana G

Audrey Gibson. Photo / Supplied

The focus of a search for a grandmother, missing for 11 weeks, has switched since a meeting between her family and police concluded that the last confirmed sighting of her was hours earlier than previously thought.

Audrey Gibson, 82, was last seen on Comries Rd in Hamilton on December 2.

Despite extensive searches by police and family, she has not been heard from since and her bank accounts remain untouched.

Detective Senior Sergeant Karl Thornton from Hamilton CIB said challenges faced by the inquiry team in trying to corroborate sightings of Mrs Gibson, also known as Nana G, meant the last confirmed sightings of her had been brought back several hours.

"Whereas previous sightings had Nana G at a hairdresser's in the afternoon, we are now in the position where the last confirmed sighting of her was between 9.30am and 11am, still on Comries Rd.

"That means ... some people may have recalled seeing someone matching her description in the morning but discounted the sighting because of the - at the time - confirmed sightings later in the afternoon."

It was important that anyone who had discounted such a sighting should contact the police, Mr Thornton said.

"For instance, we have a sighting of two elderly women at a bus stop on Comries Rd around 9.30am. Despite appeals for information, neither of those women has come forward and we'd like to hear from them to either add to our information picture or rule them out of the inquiry."

During a meeting on Tuesday night in Mangere, Manukau City, Mrs Gibson's family acknowledged the wealth of support provided by the community not just in Hamilton but in other parts of the country.

They said although they recognised that many women their grandmother's age had a similar description, they hoped someone would recall speaking to Mrs Gibson, who always called people "love" or "dear".

Police are keeping an open mind over Mrs Gibson's disappearance and have not ruled anything out.

"The key for us now is being able to locate Audrey - to bring closure for the family," said Mr Thornton.

Mrs Gibson is described as a female European, about 1.60m tall with grey hair and glasses.

She was last seen wearing a white sleeveless shirt, a brown jersey and brown trousers and was carrying a green canvas shopping bag and a black handbag.

- NZPA