PHOTO: Missing real estate agent Yanfei Bao. NZ POLICE
An Open Home Event Held at a Property in Christchurch Amidst Investigation of Missing Real Estate Agent
Police Investigate Trevor St, Hornby House after Disappearance of Yanfei Bao
Days after real estate agent Yanfei Bao was allegedly killed or kidnapped, an open home event was conducted at a property in Trevor St, Hornby, Christchurch. Police visited the house the day after the 44-year-old agent vanished, as she was supposed to show it to a potential buyer.
Despite no immediate signs of foul play, Harcourts continued to market the property, which led to the open home event taking place on Sunday afternoon.
Real estate agent suspected to have been killed after showing a house
Focus on Forensic Examination and Homicide Inquiry
Following the incident, the property became the central subject of an extensive forensic investigation, evolving into a homicide inquiry. A 52-year-old man was arrested at Christchurch Airport, charged with kidnapping, and police expect further charges.
Initially, police believed the last sighting of Bao was while she was door-knocking for work in Vickerys Rd, Wigram. However, this sighting has proven inconclusive.
Important Details Regarding Bao’s Disappearance
Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves disclosed that Bao was last seen in Trevor St around 10 am on the day she disappeared. Her silver Nissan Dualis, registration PKT 556, was found parked on the street. Authorities seek information on the car’s departure time, requesting sightings from 12.30 pm onwards.
The silver Nissan Dualis was eventually discovered in Iroquois Pl, Wigram, around 10.45 pm on the same day. This was hours after she failed to pick up her 9-year-old daughter from after school care, prompting the missing person report.
Property Seizure and Investigative Focus
Following the open home event, police executed a search warrant and seized the Trevor St property. The reason behind this decision and its selection as the focal point of the investigation remains unclear.
Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves stated, “The investigation was exclusively a missing person enquiry up until Wednesday when it was elevated to a homicide investigation. Over the intervening period, police were investigating several possible lines of inquiry and as a result, certain locations became of interest as the available information evolved.”
Prior to her disappearance, Bao contacted the listing agent to arrange a showing for a potential buyer and obtain the lock box code. The property was scheduled for auction, but the sale is now on hold.
Reeves confirmed that a silver Mitsubishi sedan, registration DPH 101, belonging to the man accused of kidnapping Bao, was seen in Trevor St on the day she vanished.
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