An ex-Royal Marine has mysteriously vanished from the same market town as missing airman Corrie McKeague.
Veteran John Dick, 37, who served as a Royal Marine for 13 years, was last spotted in his hometown of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, at around 6.30pm on November 30.
The dad-of-two was seen getting on a train heading towards Ipswich, Suffolk – but it is not known where he got off.
Veteran John Dick, 37, who served as a Royal Marine for 13 years, was last spotted in his hometown of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, at around 6.30pm on November 30
Suffolk Police have now classed John as ‘high risk’ – as his worried family fear he may be using his military training to ‘hide away’ over concerns for the welfare of his loved ones.
His disappearance came just two weeks after an inquest opening into RAF gunner Corrie McKeague, 23 – who also went missing from Bury St Edmunds four years ago, in September 2016.
A hearing was told Mr McKeague may have climbed into a bin which was emptied into a waste lorry where he subsequently died.
No trace of him has been found but Suffolk’s senior coroner, Nigel Parsley, said Mr McKeague ‘died in the Suffolk jurisdiction in September 2016’.
The dad-of-two was seen getting on a train heading towards Ipswich, Suffolk – but it is not known where he got off
John’s sister, Amy Hooper, posted on Facebook yesterday: ‘Two weeks ago today, my brother John Dick went missing around 6.30pm from Bury St Edmunds. There are signs to indicate that John may be purposely hiding away at the moment’
A ‘Help Find John’ social media page has been set up to share details known about his disappearance.
‘John Dick is missing,’ one message reads. ‘He’s a Royal Marines lad who hasn’t been seen for almost a week.
‘Please share this tweet far and wide and help bring him home. He served his country, and I’d like to think it’s now time for his country to serve him.’
And John’s sister, Amy Hooper, posted on Facebook yesterday: ‘Two weeks ago today, my brother John Dick went missing around 6.30pm from Bury St Edmunds.
‘There are signs to indicate that John may be purposely hiding away at the moment.
‘Due to his military training, unfortunately for us, that means he’s probably quite good at it.
His disappearance came just two weeks after an inquest opening into RAF gunner Corrie McKeague, 23 – who also went missing from Bury St Edmunds four years ago, in September 2016
‘He needs to realise that his family are all safe and well, and it really is okay to come home now.’
But Amy added: ‘John doesn’t suffer with PTSD and there have been no indications that he would just leave, particularly when he thought of his young family and wife still in the Norfolk area at the time of his disappearance.
‘As an ex Royal Marine, John has worked all over the country and has many friends far and wide, so could potentially be anywhere at this point.
‘We know he used his bank card and got on a train heading towards Ipswich (we don’t know where he got off yet).
‘He made an online purchase on Tuesday 1st December and he was likely on Facebook on Friday 4th December as it was active for several hours in the evening.
‘John had no phone or car, so I feel sure that someone, somewhere has been in contact with him.
‘Just please keep sharing this in the hope that he sees it, believes it’s time to come back now, and reaches out to someone.’
Suffolk Police has launched an appeal for information on John’s whereabouts. He is described as a white male, six foot tall, with short cropped grey hair and short dark brown stubble which is slightly greying
Amy added that John has strong links to Stevenage and North Hertfordshire.
Meanwhile, John’s wife Lorna posted on Facebook last week, writing: ‘Please John Dick come home.
‘We are desperately worried and need you to come home. We can sort everything out together but please come home or make contact with someone.
‘We aren’t complete without you.’
And a ‘Help Find John’ Twitter page has been set up, so far gathering over 200 followers in just ten days.
The biography on the Twitter page states that John served in the Royal Marines for 13 years, from 2006 until 2019, and ‘did several tours on the front line’.
Suffolk Police has launched an appeal for information on John’s whereabouts.
He is described as a white male, six foot tall, with short cropped grey hair and short dark brown stubble which is slightly greying.
He he has a tattoo of a tribal full sleeve on one arm, and the other arm has a full sleeve royal marines’ emblem.
Officers are concerned for his welfare and are asking anyone who has seen John or who has any information on where he may be to contact Suffolk Police on 101.