Three years on: The search for Ashleigh Crosbie and her dog continues

The family of a Milnerton woman who mysteriously vanished with her dog and a friend’s vehicle three years ago said police have failed to follow up on vital leads or bring the family any closure.

This was after two suspects were allegedly spotted inside the silver BMW 3 series with registration CA 591 135, just months after Ashleigh Crosbie, 50, disappeared.

Crosbie went missing on September 18, 2022, with her dog named Bright.

Crosbie has a tattoo at the back of her neck with the name “Carl".

She was attending a party in Rugby, Brooklyn, with her dog and had borrowed her friend’s BMW to run an errand and was never seen again.

The family had entrusted the help of a private investigator, whom they paid R10 000, but said it was just filled with empty promises.

Crosbie’s close relative, who asked not to be named due to sensitivity and safety reasons, said they have been pursuing leads into the case by doing their own groundwork.

The family told the Cape Argus Crosbie was a “free spirit” who had a few run-ins with the law for petty crimes involving shoplifting, and they suspected she may have gotten herself into a predicament at the time of her disappearance.

"The one PI took 10k from us and put out a flyer and that was it,” the relative said.

“I fought with them for so long but in the end it only affected my mental and physical wellbeing.

“It has been a terribly long journey of searching dead ends.

"Some people via social media only tried helping, some became hostile as we wouldn't follow their lead and said we weren't interested in finding her.  

“People in the community that reached out formed a 'search party' driving around at night, in the day, just searching and came up with dead ends. 

“We went to police stations asking for help, I was told that it is not in their jurisdiction that I needed to go to Milnerton police station.

“Three years, not one positive tiny lead, and the police officer I had contacted kept saying she's on leave.

"We went to stores to search on camera but because of the POPIA they couldn't show us any footage. 

“I believe Ash was in a predicament that led her to do something that she would have never thought of doing or mixing with those types of people but out of desperation, she did it.”

“On November 2, 2022, a member from WCMPU (Western Cape Mising Persons Unit) confirmed the BMW was circulating around the Parklands, Table View area, with two African men driving the car on site of Ash or her dog,” they said.

Chaz Thomas of Track n Trace Missing Persons Unit, that was one of the missing persons organisations assisting the family, including that of the Pink Ladies and WCMPU, said they had also tried to assist in the search.

“We are still searching the streets for her but there has been no luck to date and no one has seen her but we are not giving up,” said Thomas.

Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, said they were waiting on the relevant police station to respond about the case.

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Cape Argus