Volunteers searchers along roadside burm
(KTVA)

With the recent missing report of Kathy McBroom there are nearly one hundred missing person cases unsolved in Anchorage. And as the cases dating back some 35 years continue to pile up, how do police find those who are missing?

“A missing person is anyone over the age of 18 who the family maybe a boss doesn't know where a person is at, they haven't come home, they haven't shown up to work in a few days, things like that,” said Detective Cynthia Bradley, who works in the Missing

Cynthia Bradley
Detective Cynthia Bradley is apart of the Missing Persons Unit of the Anchorage Police Department. Tuesday, December 2, 2008. (KTVA)
Persons Unit of Anchorage Police.

Finding a missing person in Anchorage without any clues can cause some concern.

“Problem is Anchorage is a big city, and if you don't know where to look its kind of hard to just pick a place,” said Bradley.

Although police get calls on a daily basis, the problem in solving these cases is simply lack of information.

“They can easily be in Wasilla, Seward, anywhere, they could have left the state,” said Bradley. “I had one gentleman, who went missing and when his family finally reported him, we found him in Arizona.”

Most missing reports get resolved within 24 hours for the unsolved cases; it sometimes is a game of phone tag.

“I

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monitor them mostly, I do make phone calls to the people who report them missing to see if they have any contact with the person unfortunately I leave messages and people don't return my calls,” said Bradley.

Runaways are defined as under 18 years old and are in a separate classification than missing persons.

Anchorage police say finding people; all comes down to those who know something, just coming forward.

Encouraging the public to help by giving tips on Anchorage

Cynthia Bradley
(KTVA)
Crime Stoppers is one way police are able to solve cases. “We get a lot of hits on the website for people looking at crime stoppers different aspects whether it's a missing person or an unsolved crime,” said Anita Shell, a spokesperson for Anchorage Police.

And for officials hoping to reduce the amount of missing, any information they can get is helpful.

“Just waiting for someone who knows something to come forward,” said Bradley.

You don't have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing. You can report them right away.

Currently there are 30 active runaway and 90 missing person cases still open.

If you have any information on missing cases Please call 561-STOP or access the crime stopper website on our links page.

To contact the Newsroom, call 907-274-1111.