Helen Eade spotted in Costa Coffee at Maidstone East railway station as officers grow increasingly concerned for welfare
Police have released new CCTV footage of a missing woman who vanished nearly a month ago after leaving hospital, showing her inside a coffee shop at a railway station.
Helen Eade, 59, was reported missing after leaving Maidstone Hospital in Hermitage Lane on 16th September and boarding a bus. A frantic search operation was sparked after she got off the bus in Wateringbury and disappeared.
The latest footage shows Ms Eade at Costa Coffee inside Maidstone East railway station at 9.22am on Sunday, 28th September. She can be seen entering the café dressed in the clothes she was last seen wearing before taking off her black jacket and walking up to the counter.
Timeline of Disappearance
Ms Eade does not drive and enquiries have established she made a return bus journey from Maidstone Hospital to Pembury. However, on the way back, she got off the bus in Wateringbury rather than completing her journey.
Officers trawling through CCTV footage found she was captured in Wateringbury between 4pm and 6pm on 16th September, the day she went missing. The new footage from the Costa Coffee represents the most recent confirmed sighting of Ms Eade.
Recent appeals to help locate her have turned up potential sightings of the missing woman in Dover and Ramsgate, though these have not been confirmed by police.
Police Growing Increasingly Concerned
Detective Sergeant Angela Holder said officers remain very concerned for Ms Eade’s welfare and it is possible she may be travelling across several parts of Kent or may even have left the county.
DS Holder stated the most recent CCTV recovered is footage of Ms Eade inside the Maidstone Costa Coffee. The footage is of higher quality than previously obtained images and officers are urging people to again look at the video, which clearly shows her features and clothing.
Police are particularly keen for any information which will help track her movements in Wateringbury between 4pm and 6pm on Tuesday, 16th September.
Appeal for Dashcam and CCTV Footage
Officers are urging drivers and residents to check dashcams, doorbell cameras and CCTV for any sightings. They are particularly interested in routes Ms Eade may have taken in and around Bow Road and near the train station in Wateringbury.
Police are also asking people who may have been in Teston Country Park to see if they recognise Ms Eade from the images that have been released.
The force has been conducting extensive enquiries since her disappearance, trawling through hours of CCTV footage from various locations across Kent to try to piece together her movements.
Description and Clothing
Ms Eade is described as white, around 5ft 9in tall, of slim build with blue eyes and short brown hair.
She was last seen wearing pink jogging bottoms, a grey hooded top and a black Parka-style jacket with a fur hood. The new CCTV footage from the Costa Coffee shows her in these same distinctive clothes.
Police say the higher quality of the recent footage provides a clearer view of Ms Eade’s features and what she was wearing, which they hope will help members of the public recognise her if they have seen her.
Links to Other Kent Areas
Ms Eade, who is from Barming near Maidstone, has links to Canterbury and Dover. She has previously travelled to Bluewater shopping centre in Dartford.
The potential sightings in Dover and Ramsgate suggest she may have travelled to coastal areas of Kent, though police have not confirmed these reports. Officers are keeping an open mind about where she may have gone after the last confirmed sighting at Maidstone East station.
How to Report Information
Police have asked the public to call 999 quoting reference 16-0917 if they have critical information regarding Ms Eade’s whereabouts.
Any other information should be reported via 101 or through the Live Chat function on the Kent Police website, which can be accessed by clicking the blue icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the page.
Officers have thanked members of the public who have already assisted with their enquiries and shared the appeal, but emphasise that finding Ms Eade remains their priority.
Ongoing Investigation
The search for Ms Eade has now entered its fourth week since she left Maidstone Hospital. The circumstances of her disappearance remain unclear, with officers continuing to investigate why she got off the bus in Wateringbury rather than completing her journey.
The release of the new Costa Coffee footage represents the latest stage in an intensive investigation that has seen police appeal multiple times for information from the public.
Kent Police continue to work around the clock to locate Ms Eade and ensure her safe return. The force has deployed specialist resources to assist with the search and investigation.
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