Lisa Mott: Detectives descend on bushland in Mumballup State Forest to search for clues in suspected murder

Cold case detectives have descended on bushland surrounding an abandoned panel van to comb for new evidence that could help solve the suspected murder of Collie schoolgirl Lisa Mott more than four decades ago. The fresh search follows revelations the vehicle, which was previously disregarded as being linked to the 12-year-old’s disappearance, was put back on the radar after a local man came forward with new information. Speaking at the site in the Mumballup State Forest on Tuesday, Det-Sgt Greg Dowding, of the cold case investigations unit, said the search would be the first of several police would carry out in the area. Lisa was last seen on October 30, 1980, after spending the day with a friend at Collie’s basketball courts on Throssell Street before going to a pizza shop on nearby Forrest Street. She was seen walking across a railway line towards her home about 9pm. A 10-year-old girl told police she watched Lisa get into a yellow panel van, likely a Holden HQ, HR, HT or HZ, after clearing the tracks. In 1996, detectives swarmed over an abandoned car in bushland near Hoddell Road. It matched the description given by the girl, except for the fact it had rear windows. The young witness was adamant the vehicle she saw Lisa get into did not have windows at the back. The metal plate listing the HQ Holden’s vehicle identification number was missing but police were able to cut out and preserve the number stamped into the chassis. However, the owner has never been tracked down. By 2005, police had discounted the car’s relevance given it did not exactly match the description given by the witness. But a local man put it back on the radar in November when he said he saw both the witness and the car near where Lisa vanished. Det-Sgt Dowding said police were desperate to find out who owned the van. They were searching for the vehicle identification numbers, number plates, if there was a roof rack, or anything else that could help identify the owner. “We don’t know its history, but that’s what we want to find out today,” Det-Sgt Dowding said. “I’d ask if the person who abandoned the panel van today would come forward. Just give us a reason, so we know the history of it. “We do have a lot of data from panel vans that were investigated in 1980 so we can match that data to see if that panel van was investigated.” About 20 police recruits and members from the emergency operations unit were carrying out the grid-search. Det-Sgt Dowding said he hoped to find evidence that would give the Mott family closure. He said he spoke to the family last week, saying they “were obviously hopeful that something could come out of this”. “All the information we get from the public just builds that jigsaw puzzle. So they are just hoping the public can provide more information,” he said. “A member of the public might think, well, there’s nothing relevant. “But it may be relevant. So they’ve just got to put that information forward.” Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.