Police hunt in Carmen case focuses on two cars

Carmen Thomas. Photo / Supplied

Two cars were the focus of the Carmen Thomas murder inquiry yesterday as police door-knocked homes on her accused killer's street.

Forensic specialists ceased searching the Remuera home of structural engineer Brad Callaghan at the weekend and tape blocking the driveway and that of a neighbouring Sonia Ave house was taken down.

The 32-year-old father of Ms Thomas' son, Jack, 5, has appeared in the Auckland District Court on a murder charge and is due back next month.

Contractors working across the road yesterday said police officers were knocking on doors with photographs of a black Nissan Pulsar and a blue Subaru station wagon, asking for information.

Last Tuesday, the day that Callaghan was arrested, police towed a black Nissan Pulsar from his property. Two other cars were also seized by police that day.

Resident Margaret Njoroge, who is several doors down from Callaghan, got a visit about midday.

"They just came with the photos of two cars, one was blue," she said, but she had just moved to the area and had never met the couple or seen the cars.

Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said the door-knocking was "just part of an area canvass".

"It's business as usual on Operation Keppel," she said.

Meanwhile donations have flooded in for a fundraising campaign to fly Ms Thomas' mother, Teresa Scott, out from South Africa when her daughter's remains are found.

It is increasingly believed that the 32-year-old is buried in the Waitakere Ranges, cut up and weighed down with concrete.

Auckland woman Donna Baker started the drive, despite not knowing Ms Thomas, out of compassion for what had happened to her. Any extra money will go to Jack.

* A Paypal account has been opened to allow for international donations and account details are: ANZ 01-1822-0030764-00.