Specialist technological detection dogs have been brought in to join the search for missing mother Samantha Murphy as detectives resume a new bush hunt for her remains.
Ms Murphy, 51, was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East about 7am on February 4 to go for a run in the sprawling Woowookrung Regional Park.
A new search area in the Buninyong Bushland Reserve will be explored by technological detector dogs on Thursday after an unsuccessful eight-hour search on Wednesday.
The specialist dogs are provided by the Australian Federal Police, who say the dogs can detect memory storage devices such as USB sticks, hard drives, mobile phones, storage cards and SIM cards.
These dogs are considered the most elite sniffer dogs and are capable of detecting the coating just a few microns thick that protects computer circuit boards.
Their noses are so sensitive that they can find money hidden under stairs, SIM cards hidden in shoes and USB sticks buried in food-filled skies.
The dogs specialize in detecting items favored by criminals, including explosives, firearms, currency, drugs and electronic devices.
Specialist detection dogs will join the search for Samantha Murphy as police continue to scour the bush for her remains (pictured, officers search the bush on Wednesday)
Ms Murphy, 51, was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East about 7am on February 4 to go for a run in the sprawling Woowookrung Regional Park.
The specialist dogs were used during a search of the Leongatha home belonging to accused mushroom chef Erin Patterson last November.
One of the dogs, Georgia, found a USB stick, a micro-secure digital card and a SIM card while another dog, Alma, detected a mobile phone, five iPads, a tracking camera, a digital card secure and a smart watch.
These items were not found during initial searches by officers, AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said during a Senate reassessment earlier this year.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton told ABC radio the dogs would be tasked with finding Ms Murphy’s phone and Apple Watch.
“We’ll be going to a different location, but we’ll also be using technical detection dog assistance from the Australian Federal Police today,” he said.
“We don’t have the ability – we’re trying to get that ability – to drive a dog that can detect a cell phone SIM card and that sort of thing.”
“We still haven’t recovered his phone and watch. We will use all these specialist skills.
Victoria Police said on Wednesday new intelligence led them to a new search area in bushland surrounding the Buningyong Bushland Reserve.
The specialist dogs were used during a search of the Leongatha home belonging to accused murderer Erin Patterson last November (pictured)
Mr Murphy has made a heartfelt appeal for any information that could help find his wife.
Victoria Police said on Wednesday new intelligence led them to a new search area in bushland surrounding the Buningyong Bushland Reserve.
The Missing Persons Squad, Search and Rescue Squad, Mounted Branch, Dog Squad and Public Order Response Team joined the eight-hour search.
Police had previously identified the Buninyong area as a location of interest after Ms Murphy’s phone rang near Buninyong Golf Club.
The development comes after Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, was charged with Ms Murphy’s murder following his arrest on March 6.
The new search area is less than 2 miles from Scotsburn’s home. Stephenson was house-sitting with his girlfriend at the time.
Mr Murphy made a heartfelt appeal for any information that could help locate his wife’s remains and urged her accused killer to co-operate with police.
He was seen driving his distinctive blue vehicle through bushland near the Buninyong Bushland Reserve on Wednesday afternoon, unaware that police had already called off the search at 2.30pm.
Stephenson will appear in court again for a committal notice on August 8.