Hitch-hiker sought in search for Shelly Crooks, last seen at Punakaiki, West Coast

Police investigating the disappearance of Shelly Crooks, last seen at Punakaiki, are appealing for sightings of a female hitchhiker and a sedan.

Police investigating the disappearance of Shelly Crooks, last seen at Punakaiki on December 22, today appealed for sightings of a female hitch-hiker and a four-door sedan near the intersection of State Highway 6 and 67 two days later.

Crooks has not used her Eftpos card since checking out of the Punakaiki campground.

Police officers were last week focusing on the Punakaiki to Fox River area of the Coast Road in their search for the 36-year-old mother of four, who had told a friend she was hitch-hiking to Opotiki in the Bay of Plenty to spend Christmas with her family.

Her family has not heard from her since, and police say this is unusual, especially over the holiday period.

Police said today they were seeking information on a person and a car seen on the Coast Road on Christmas Eve to help eliminate them from their inquiries.

They were seeking sightings of a female hitch-hiker near the intersection of State Highway 6 and 67, around mid-morning on Saturday, December 24. It is known locally as "the Buller crossroads".

Police also want to speak to the drivers of any white 1980s or early 1990s four-door sedans travelling in the area at that time.

"We're keeping an open mind as to where Shelly may be, and we want to speak to these people to find out whether they can help us, or to eliminate them from our continued inquiries," detective sergeant Kirsten Norton, of the Greymouth CIB, said.

"We're also appealing to Shelly herself to come forward, either to police, or to family or friends. We just want to know you're okay," Norton said.

-Greymouth Star