Fears grow for safety of woman missing for a week

POLICE have admitted that a woman missing for a week may have been the victim of "a criminal act".

Officers were today set to broadcast CCTV footage of Suzanne Pilley on a giant screen in St Andrew Square as part of an appeal for information exactly seven days since she vanished.

Investigators said they were "gravely concerned" for the safety of Miss Pilley, who was last seen at around 9am last Tuesday as she made her way to work near Thistle Street. And the officer in charge of the investigation admitted police now feared her disappearance was the result of "a criminal act".

Dozens of police officers were this morning set to question members of the public in St Andrew Square. In a bid to jog the memory of commuters heading to work, video footage of Miss Pilley was to be played on a giant multi-media screen in St Andrew's Square.

It is the first time Lothian and Borders Police have used such a tactic, and it is hoped that the images may jog the memories of any local workers who saw Miss Pilley before she vanished.

Police have described the disappearance of the 38-year-old bookkeeper as "highly uncharacteristic". There are now around 60 police staff working on the case.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Flannigan, who is leading the inquiry into her disappearance, said: "We are now gravely concerned for the safety of Suzanne. Her last known contact with anyone was last Tuesday at around 8:30am. Her family and close associates are telling us that it is completely out of character for her not to be in touch.

"A large team has carried out extensive inquiries in the last week and I have to say there are strong indications that a criminal act could account for Suzanne's disappearance. She was within minutes and 100m of her office but never reported for work."

The screening this morning was set to show Miss Pilley, who is from the Stenhouse area of the city, as she travelled on a No 4 bus. She alighted from the bus close to Jenners, before heading to the Sainsbury's supermarket.

In addition, a large A frame ad trailer, depicting the missing person poster, was sited on George Street.

"It was the first day back at work after the May Bank holiday weekend," said DCI Flannigan. "Did you walk alongside her? Did you chat to her or interact with her in any way?"

Miss Pilley was reported missing by her parents, with whom she was last in contact via text message at around 8.30am last Tuesday.

She had earlier that morning boarded a No 2 Lothian bus at Stevenson Drive at 8:20am, before getting off at 8:32am at Dalry Road opposite Caledonian Terrace. Here she changed to the No 4 bus, departing at 8:35am, where she sat on the top deck near the rear.

"She is an avid texter and is normally in regular contact with her parents.

"It is also unusual for her not to let her employer know if she is not coming in for work," added DCI Flannigan.

"Suzanne was following her usual routine and everything appeared to be normal until those last few minutes of her journey to her office."

Miss Pilley is described as white, 5ft 4in tall, of slim build, with short, light brown hair shaped into a bob. She was wearing a light blue waterproof jacket, red fleece, light blue trousers or jeans and trainers, and was also carrying a shoulder bag and a large water bottle.