POLICE CLOSE IN ON NADEN
ASHLEA MAHER
01 Mar, 2011 04:00 AM
A police manhunt after two possible sightings of a man believed to be Malcolm Naden has renewed hope that the state’s most wanted man will face the courts.
Naden was believed to be spotted last Wednesday in Birdwood, 77 kilometres west of Port Macquarie by a woman and her grandson.
He is said to have been sitting on the edge of a bridge, stood up and waved when the eyewitnesses drove past.
A police spokesperson yesterday confirmed a number of officers were involved in the operation conducted by the Mid North Coast Local Area Command on a remote property west of Port Macquarie.
A number of items have been seized and taken for forensic investigation.
Naden, who would now be 37, is wanted by police in relation to the death of 24-year-old mother-of-two Kristy Scholes in Dubbo in 2005 and the alleged aggravated indecent assault of a 15-year-old girl in 2004.
Naden is a suspect in the disappearance of Lateesha Nolan who was last seen on January 4, 2005.
It was previously thought that Naden was hiding out in Barrington Tops and was previously sighted in the area.
Last month the reward for information assisting in his capture was doubled to $100,000.
NSW Police Minister Michael Daley described Naden as “an alleged murderer and child molester” who “should face a jury of his peers” at the time.
The report has given fresh hope to Ms Nolan’s father Mick Peet, saying everyone affected by Naden needs answers.
Mr Peet has been dedicated to finding his daughter for six years with her disappearance has never strayed far from his thoughts.
“Any leads are good ... everybody’s got their fingers crossed he gets caught,” he said.
Mr Peet spent the day getting in touch with local community and emergency rescue groups in the area to alert them to the news, saying that increasing exposure is the key to getting the word out to as many people as possible.
“With the raised reward and attention following the sightings will hopefully bring us closer to Naden’s capture,” he said.
In 2009, the ex-abattoir worker and experienced bushman surfaced west of Wauchope and in 2008 was thought to be living in Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
He was reportedly wearing a black jumper, blue jeans, white joggers and had a bald head. Naden is 177 centimetres tall, 85 kilograms with medium build, brown eyes, shaved head and possibly a moustache and or beard.
Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1800 333 000 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Information can be given anonymously.
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