The search continues for the missing 82-year-old Oak Bay resident, Gladys Barman, after nothing came of three promising potential sightings in the Lake Cowichan area last week.
Barman, who was last seen at the Petro Can on West Saanich Rd. at 10 a.m. on July 5, has not used her phone or bank accounts since that morning.
Thank you Air 8 for conducting an aerial search for Ms. Barman and her vehicle today. Although it was not successful, we greatly appreciate your support.
B次元官网网址� Oak Bay Police (@OakBayPolice)
Gladys BarmanB次元官网网址檚 son Neil Barman is B次元官网网址渁bout at his witB次元官网网址檚 end, and doesnB次元官网网址檛 know what else to do.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淯sually they will turn up. They will run out of steam. They will somehow encounter somebody and that will be it. But there has been no sign of my mom or her car which is really what is baffling them because cars donB次元官网网址檛 just vanish like this,B次元官网网址� said Barman. B次元官网网址淭he public has been out there for days now, aware and watching and there has just been no sign. The police are relying on them for leads at this point.B次元官网网址�
We are hoping for a new lead or tip today about my mom. Everyone, while looking for her or her car, be aware of areas where a car may have gone off the road and be hard to see from the road - Just in case. New poster:
B次元官网网址� Neil Barman (@nlbrmn)
One of the leads last week came from a store in Lake Cowichan, but after reviewing security footage Barman knew it wasnB次元官网网址檛 her.
B次元官网网址淏ut I can see why people phoned it in. Not knowing her, I think it was good that they phoned it in because it was close enough,B次元官网网址� said Barman.
The three sightings - one where a man is 95 per cent sure it was her, one in a driveway where the woman was quite sure, and one at the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre B次元官网网址� were all on the same day, all with enough time to get between them, said Barman.
B次元官网网址淚t was too many possible sightings and interactions to not treat it seriously. ThatB次元官网网址檚 when police started up the search and rescue in that area. All three sightings were on the afternoon of July 5, the same day she was seen at the gas station on West Saanich,B次元官网网址� said Barman.
While those sightings didnB次元官网网址檛 result in finding his mom, Barman is still hopeful that his mom will be found safe.
B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 fairly tough and independent so I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 at all be surprised if she had a case or two of water in the car and was surviving off a $5 sandwich a day,B次元官网网址� said Barman, noting that she probably had about $100 of pocket-money at the time.
Gladys Barman is known for her social and chatty ways and her reliable nature. She has been delivering newspapers in her south Oak Bay neighbourhood for the last 20 years, waking in the middle of the night to deliver the papers.
B次元官网网址淪he had people on her route that worked Eastern hours so she knew that if she could get them their paper at 4 a.m. they could read it by 5 a.m. and get to work at 5 or 5:30 a.m. remotely,B次元官网网址� said Barman.
That daily routine had police familiar with Gladys as they would often see her as they patrolled at night. It was also what led to a quick response when the papers werenB次元官网网址檛 delivered on July 6. Barman believes it was one of the people on her route that called in concern, after Barman B次元官网网址渨ho didnB次元官网网址檛 miss a day in 20 yearsB次元官网网址� was mysteriously absent that morning.
In recent weeks, Gladys Barman had expressed some concern about her memory.
B次元官网网址淪he said that if she didnB次元官网网址檛 take the exact same route to her regular destinations, she found herself getting a little disoriented as to where she was. She also started to have trouble operating her cell phone even though sheB次元官网网址檚 had it for a long time,B次元官网网址� said Barman.
She went to the doctor in mid-June and mentioned the memory issues. The doctor did an in-office assessment and didnB次元官网网址檛 see any flags for doing the next level of assessment, said Barman.
B次元官网网址淏ut everyone IB次元官网网址檝e spoken to says that in the last couple of weeks her memory did seem to start going a little bit but otherwise she was totally normal. Social and chatty, the whole thing,B次元官网网址� said Barman.
A province-wide alert is in place and people are encouraged to keep their eyes out all over the Island as, though there were the potential leads in the Cowichan Lake area, the Petro Can on West Saanich Rd. was B次元官网网址渢he last she was confirmed 100 per cent anywhereB次元官网网址�.
Barman asks that if there are any trail running groups or off-roading groups, geocaching groups, anyone going off the beaten path, it would be good for them to keep an eye out.
B次元官网网址淪adly, our search for Ms Barman continues and we have no update. WeB次元官网网址檙e following up on any tips we receive but asking people up island to also be aware,B次元官网网址� said Oak Bay police in a release this week.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e assured everyone IB次元官网网址檝e spoken to that when sheB次元官网网址檚 found, there will be enough media that you will know,B次元官网网址� said Barman. B次元官网网址淪o until that time, please just watch as you are going from point a to point b. If you have 2 or 3 routes that you take from point a to point b maybe do those just to keep an eye out. Because she is still out there, somewhere.B次元官网网址�
RELATED:
Thank you for the highway display signs! It will help so much having everyone watching out for my mom and her car (2002 dark green Honda Accord sedan lic 940 RGA) especially in the Valley area.
B次元官网网址� Neil Barman (@nlbrmn)
Ms. Barman was wearing glasses, a teal windbreaker, jeans and white sneakers.
She was driving a 2002 Honda Accord with BC License 940 RGA.
B次元官网网址淲e need everyone to be aware of this and to keep their eyes open for her or her vehicle,B次元官网网址� said Bernoties. B次元官网网址淚 will absolutely inform you of any information we receive that changes our search area. That has not occurred at this time.B次元官网网址�
Anyone with information can call Oak Bay Police Department at 250-592-2424.
Barman shared a new missing poster online yesterday (July 19) and asks that people print, post, and share it. It can be downloaded .
keri.coles@oakbaynews.com
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