David Cann: police treat case of Southsea teacher missing in Turkey as 'high risk'

Police are treating the case of a Southsea teacher who has gone missing in Turkey as high risk - leading to a search of his social media.

David Cann, 56, of Cromwell Road, Southsea, disappeared on July 2 while on holiday in Hisaronu after leaving his hotel to walk to a ghost town popular with tourists.

The escalation of the case has seen police conduct additional searches, including accessing his social media and email accounts, as well as visiting his home to collect DNA samples.

Police have also examined his mobile phone data, including last transmissions.

David’s nephew Gavin Thomas said the family were feeling ‘relieved’ that Hampshire Constabulary are increasing their involvement in the case.

He said: ‘Our overriding feeling at the moment is that we are relieved that the British Police are now involved and that the many different processes of the investigation are being explained to us.

‘These processes may well have been going on, over in Turkey but unfortunately this was not communicated to us.’

The family had felt ‘incredibly alone and isolated in their search,’ according to Gavin’s wife, Georgina.

Following their return from Turkey on Thursday, members of David’s family met with officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Matthew Searle, the chief executive of The Lucie Blackman Trust, a missing persons charity that is supporting the family, said: ‘The decision to return to the UK is always incredibly difficult while a missing case is ongoing.

‘The feeling of leaving them behind is all consuming.

‘Now, more than ever, the family need timely and accurate information.’

Last Sunday, a possible sighting of a man matching David’s description ‘behaving erratically’ on the Greek island of Crete raised hopes he had been found, but an investigation discovered the man to be a German national.

The police are conducting their search with assistance from Interpol.