Overview
- Detectives say Vitoria Figueiredo‑Barreto boarded the No. 87 bus from Wivenhoe just after 1pm on 3 March and got off in Bellfield Avenue, Brightlingsea, before being seen on doorbell video in Hurst Green around 2:30pm.
- A bag matching her white tote with the words “people over profit” was recovered on a greenspace near Copperas Road and her family has been informed.
- CCTV captured a person climbing a fence into a nearby boatyard shortly after midnight on 4 March, and police say they believe the individual is Vitoria.
- Search operations in Brightlingsea now include foot teams, air support, specialist dogs and Essex Search and Rescue volunteers, with officers conducting detailed sweeps.
- Police urged residents and businesses to review CCTV, doorbell or dash‑cam footage and a friend reported a paired‑phone emergency signal pointing toward the sea, which has not been confirmed by officers.