Police ask if Carmen Thomas had enemies

Police have been searching for Carmen Thomas for three weeks. Photo / Supplied

Police searching for missing Auckland mother Carmen Thomas say they are still looking into her background to see if she had any enemies who might want her dead.

The 32-year-old Remuera woman, who has not been seen since June 27, is suspected of being a victim of foul play.

Her car was found in Hamilton in early July and her bank accounts and telephone have not been used.

"There are lots of possibilities about what has happened and we just have to work through them and deal with what we have got," police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said today.

"We can't categorically say one or the other thing."

She would not say if Ms Thomas, who worked as an escort, used drugs which may have led to her falling foul of dealers.

"We are obviously investigating her background to see whether there is anything there which might point us in a direction that is likely to lead to some conclusion," Ms Hegarty said.

Ms Thomas' mother, Teresa Scott, returned to South Africa last week after 12 days in Auckland, helping police in the search for her daughter who has a five-year-old son.

Police said they told her frankly about their concerns and "acknowledged her worst fears - that the circumstances of Carmen's disappearance are sinister".

Police said it was still important that anyone who saw her dark Nissan Pulsar car anywhere between June 27 and July 13 - when it was recovered by police in Hamilton - should contact the investigation team.

- NZPA