Search for missing Hamilton senior Shirley Love continues

Hamilton police are expanding their search for Shirley Love, an 80-year-old woman with dementia who has been missing since Tuesday afternoon.

Residents in east Hamilton are being asked to check their properties, including sheds, tarps, decks, brush and anywhere someone could be hidden as police deploy all available resources to find Love.

The 80-year-old woman left her King Forest Manor apartment on Mount Albion Road near the Glendale Golf Club around 2 p.m. on Tuesday. She was last seen walking south wearing a grey jacket and black pants. Surveillance video captured her not long after she left and showed her walking down the sidewalk, her upper body slightly hunched forward.

Family searched for Love and then called police around 3 p.m. In the days since, police have deployed significant resources including the canine unit and drones, and conducted extensive ground searches in the area with no sign of her. Officers are also combing through video.

On Thursday morning, police once again have a command post set up at Glendale Golf Club where members of the community showed up, despite freezing rain, to help with the search.

Every five minutes a car is pulling up," said Const. Indy Bharaj, noting the incredible turnout of people who want to help find Love.

The area around and to the south of the golf course has been extensively searched, so police are now shifting to other possible directions of travel, including the Rosedale neighbourhood to the west and other areas to the north.

Two civilian search groups sent out Thursday morning went to the areas of Lawrence and Cochrane roads in Rosedale, Nash Road and Potruff Road North.

Bharaj said officers are searching more difficult-to-access areas, including trails, brush and train tracks. The canine unit was searching along the train tracks behind Lawrence Road.

Civilian search volunteers are being directed by Staff Sgt. Darren Murphy, who is leading the search, to check visible areas and report back any findings. Police are searching yards.

Police are also supporting Love's family members, who are incredibly worried. Friends and family have been helping with the ground searches, including niece Jody Nairn, who told The Spectator Wednesday she was losing hope, especially as bad weather approached. On social media, other family said they would offer a reward.

People with dementia often walk in straight lines, Bharaj said, adding that they are not likely to unlock gates or turn to go around barriers.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 905-546-2963.

Nicole O'Reilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@thespec.com