Provincial police warned Woodstock residents that the number of officers in their small town will increase dramatically on Saturday.
The decision is a welcome one for many people in the town who have long called for more thorough investigation into the disappearance of eight-year-old Victoria Stafford.
Victoria, also known as Tori, was last seen on April 8. She was captured on surveillance video walking with an unknown woman.
The OPP took over the investigation from Oxford Community Police on Friday. What was once a missing persons case is now an abduction.
The Under Water Search and Recovery Unit (USRU) began scouring waterways in Woodstock once more, this time using sonar to pick up items at the bottom of lakes and rivers.
And a team of detectives have started going door-to-door again, retracing the area around Victoria's school.
"In some cases we missed people. Leading into the long weekend, we had a lot of people who were out of the area," explained Sgt. Wayne Sczepanski of the Oxford Community Police.
The intensified search could last at least a week, if not longer.
A "Walk for Tori" was held on Saturday at the College Avenue Secondary School to show support for the little girl and her family.
But Tori's father, Rodney Stafford, thinks more can be done.
"I'm starting to get really upset because I know for a fact there's somebody out there who's not saying something."
Bottom photo credit: Phil Pang
Click here to view a website set up to aid in the search.
Click here to view the post about Victoria on America's Most Wanted.
Previous articles:
Stafford Case Dubbed Abduction As OPP Promises To Re-Launch Widespread Search
Former Police Inspector Comments On How Missing Girl Case Was Handled
Missing Girl's Parents Express Frustration That Case Not Being Considered Abduction By Police
U.S. Officials Question Delay In Reporting Missing Girl
Police Call Off Ground Search For Missing Woodstock Girl
Candlelight Vigil Held For Missing Woodstock Girl
Vigil Planned As Search Continues For Missing Girl
Community Comes Together To Help Search For Missing Girl
Worry Grows For Missing Woodstock Girl
Stafford is described as:
- 4'5"
- 60 pounds
- blue eyes
- blond hair cut below the ears.
She was last seen wearing:
- black Hannah Montana jacket with a white fur-lined hood
- black velvet skirt
- black and white shoes
- purple and pink Bratz bag
Police are trying to identify the woman seen with Stafford, now a 'person of interest' in the case. She's described as:
- White
- Female
- 19-25 years old
- 5'1" - 5'2"
- 120-125 lbs
- Straight long black hair past the shoulders worn in a ponytail
- Wearing tight black jeans and a white puffy winter jacket