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Around 2000 people reported missing every year

They are permanent runaways, adults who deliberately leave their surroundings or even disoriented senior citizens: there are thousands of missing persons cases in Saxony-Anhalt every year. Most of them are resolved after a short time.

The words "Missing person" can be seen behind a magnifying glass. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de
The words "Missing person" can be seen behind a magnifying glass. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Society - Around 2000 people reported missing every year

More than 2000 people are reported missing in Saxony-Anhalt every year. From the beginning of the year to December 12, there were exactly 2197 people this year, as the Saxony-Anhalt State Criminal Police Office announced on request. 2065 missing persons have returned or been found. During the coronavirus pandemic, the number of missing persons was lower, falling from 2466 in 2019 to 2100 in 2020 and 1874 in 2021. According to the LKA, there were 2207 missing persons reports last year.

Permanent runaways make a difference

Children and young people are reported missing particularly frequently. According to the LKA, this group is particularly relevant due to the regularly high number of permanent runaways. Across the country, there is a double-digit number of permanent runaways who run away again and again. One permanent runaway alone was the subject of 64 known missing persons reports.

At the time of the survey in mid-December, 132 people were missing in the country, 75 of whom were male and 57 female. 95 of these were children and young people, many of them permanent runaways. According to the findings of the officials, the 37 adults were predominantly individual decisions to change their current living situation or living environment or, under certain circumstances, to end their lives. Among the missing people over 60, it is not uncommon for senior citizens to be disoriented.

Slightly more missing senior citizens

The statistics indicate a slight increase in the number of missing persons in the 60+ age group. In 2019, there were 87 missing persons reports in this group, with no significant increases in the coronavirus period. In 2022, the number of people aged 60 and over reported missing was 121 and by December 12 of this year it was 105.

Most missing people quickly return on their own or are found. According to a rough count, up to 70 percent of missing persons cases are resolved within three days, according to the LKA. For around 20 percent, it takes up to a week. "The rest are resolved after several weeks or months and sometimes even years."

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Source: www.stern.de

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