Detectives searching for missing schoolgirl Jamie-Lee Harvie, 12, have said the youngster does not have access to a bank account and did not take her mobile phone before she vanished one week ago.
Jamie-Lee was last seen by a family member getting off a train at Irvine station, having travelled from Ayr, at around 3.30pm on Tuesday, March 14. Officers said they are "very concerned" for her welfare as efforts to trace the girl remain ongoing.
Chief Inspector Kevin Lammie, area commander for South Ayrshire, said there was "nothing to suggest" Jamie-Lee had come to harm as he made a direct plea to the youngster to let him know that she was safe.
He said: "We are asking for the assistance of the public to help us trace Jamie-Lee who has been missing from here since Tuesday, March 14.
"Jamie-Lee was last seen by a member of her family at Irvine train station around 3.30pm last Tuesday. Since then there has been no information on Jamie-Lee's whereabouts and this is now really concerning.
"The fact is Jamie-Lee is 12-years-old and we have been unable, despite extensive searches, to trace her and no one has heard from her.
"We have made extensive appeals to the public and the last possible sighting we may have had was outside her school Irvine Royal Academy at 7pm on Saturday, March 18 - but unfortunately I have not been able to confirm that despite ongoing enquiries.
"Thankfully at this time there is nothing to suggest that Jaime-Lee has come to any harm, but for me she is a child and I want to make sure that she is safe and well.
"Jamie-Lee may appear older than her years, however it remains the fact that she is 12-years-old.
"I don't believe that Jamie-Lee has a mobile phone in her possession and I don't believe that she has access to a bank account.
"Although she now lives in Ayr, she comes from Irvine and still has family and friends here."
The schoolgirl is known to frequent the Kilwinning, Saltcoats and Irvine areas.
Officers believe Jamie-Lee may be in Irvine since this was the last place that she was seen. There is a dedicated team of officers in the town working exclusively on finding the missing schoolgirl.
Enquiries have included "extensive address searches" while cops have also been scouring through CCTV footage.
Chief Inspector Lammie continued: "I would like to stress that Jamie-Lee is not in any trouble at all. We just want to make sure she is safe and well. I would like to hear from anybody in the community in North Ayrshire, but particularly Irvine, to report any sightings to me.
"Jamie-Lee might be in your company - but at the end of the day she has been reported to me as a missing child and she is 12-years-old. I would ask if you are in her company to come forward and let me know she is safe and well."
In a direct appeal to Jamie-Lee herself, he added: "You are not in any trouble whatsoever and we would be willing to talk to you. But please contact me to let me know that you are safe and well."
Earlier today Jamie-Lee's uncle Steven Harvie made an emotional plea on social media.
Steven said: "Something isn't adding up. Yes many are aware she has gone missing before but never for this length of time.
"Someone knows something and I’m not going to be told otherwise. The longer it goes on, the longer it's putting ex amounts of stress on the family.
"We have been round the whole of Irvine, Kilwinning, Saltcoats, Ayr - we’ve had nothing.
"Countless people have been out looking for her, people that we don’t even know and we appreciate all that people are doing. There’s not enough words or anything I can do that shows how thankful and grateful we all are.
"Anyone with the slightest of information please come forward either to the police or to family."
Jamie-Lee is described as 5ft in height and of medium build with long, light, brown hair. When she was last seen she was wearing black clothing including a padded jacket, jumper, leggings and trainers.
Anyone with information on Jamie-Lee's whereabouts is urged to contact police as soon as possible through 101 quoting incident number 2277 of March 14, 2023.
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