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June 5, 2007

Have you seen Kelsey? Security cameras have

Eighteen year old Kelsey Smith has been missing since the evening of Saturday, June 2. Overland Park, KS law enforcement have used the traditional methods of looking for a missing person - canvassing, search parties, and offering rewards. But this time, feed from a surveillance camera inside a Target store may help find Kelsey quicker than before.

Smith, who disappeared at around 7:30 PM on Sunday, was last recorded by a security system in a Target store near the Oak Park mall in Overland Park, KS, near Kansas City. The footage is pretty standard - showing Kelsey entering the store, approaching the register with her purchases, paying and walking out. However, it's not the details of Smith that are interesting to law enforcement - it's the reaction of a bystander. Footage shows a man walking out shortly after Smith, who seems to be looking in her direction. It is at this time that authorities believe that Kelsey was ambushed by one or more assailants and kidnapped. The Smith family and the Overland Park police department believe that this man could be instrumental in finding Kelsey soon, and safely.

Retail video surveillance, especially cameras like at this Target store, are useful in many ways: tracking customer patterns, preventing theft, and in this case, helping aid law enforcement when tragedy strikes. Apparently, more footage from parking lot surveillance cameras is being used by law enforcement officials to determine more about the case - but it is not available to the public.

This video, originally broadcast on local news, has been posted to the social networking site YouTube. This minor move could make waves in Smith's investigation, as sharing the information about her disappearance to millions of people across a wide area could help expose the information to more eyes - and maybe find someone who knows something.

The Smith family has posted more information about Kelsey and her disappearance at FindKelsey.com.

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Posted by Jennifer on June 5, 2007 10:09 AM

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