Residents urged by police to assist in search for Grace Baranyk by checking property thoroughly

Lisa Bisschop, right, has been helping coordinate a volunteer search of Chilliwack alongside the official search for 86-year-old Grace Baranyk. The RCMP are asking everyone to conduct a thorough search of their property and vehicles. (Jessica Peters/ The Progress)

Chilliwack RCMP is urging residents to thoroughly search their property for missing woman Grace Baranyk, even if they’ve done so already.

“We’re really urging people to search their backyards,” Cpl. Mike Rail of the Chilliwack RCMP told The Progress Monday morning.

“Look places you would usually look,” he added, including unlocked cars, under decks, in storage sheds and behind bushes.

“Anywhere someone could hide,” he said. “There is no little nook and cranny that’s too small.”

He said the official searchers, and those from the community who have organized an informal search, can’t get into people’s backyards. But Baranyk could have, he said.

Baranyk, 86, has severe dementia and has been missing since Saturday, July 13 at 10: 30 a.m. from Lenora Crescent. There have been several unconfirmed sightings of her in the downtown residential area, including along Corbould Avenue by a neighbour who didn’t realize she was missing at the time.

READ MORE: Search continues for missing elderly woman in Chilliwack

Rail said he has experienced situations where those with dementia walk quite far, including a man who walked nine kilometres in slippers to try to get on a ferry.

“Folks can walk a long way,” he said. “So this is not limited to where she was last seen.”

He added that the community has been “amazing” in coming together to help with the search. While he’s not a part of the search team for Baranyk, the officer has ensured any updates will be released quickly if she is found.

Grace Baranyk was last seen wearing a grey sweater, grey vest, navy pants, black shoes and pink-rimmed eyeglasses. She is very small in stature, at 120 lbs and 5’4”. She has short grey hair and is in good shape and can walk very far.

Anyone with information or possible sightings is asked to call Chilliwack RCMP immediately at 604-792-4611 and quote police file number: 19-29414.

@CHWKcommunity

jpeters@theprogress.com

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