Carmen officers visit ex-partner's work

Brad Callaghan, who works at Mansons as an engineer, is the father of Carmen Thomas' son. Photo / Dean Purcell

Detectives visited the workplace of the estranged partner of missing Auckland escort Carmen Thomas while he was out of the office.

The Herald saw two plainclothes police officers leave the Parnell headquarters of property development firm Mansons - which employs Brad Callaghan as an engineer - at 1pm yesterday.

The detectives left in a late-model Holden registered to Auckland City district police, who are investigating the disappearance of Ms Thomas, last seen on June 27.

Police believe the 32-year-old has been murdered.

When the Herald phoned reception and asked to speak with Mr Callaghan, Mansons' in-house lawyer Glen Heath answered the phone. He confirmed Mr Callaghan was not in the building when the police visited.

Asked if police were interviewing staff about Mr Callaghan, Mr Heath declined to comment. "Our media policy is to not speak about an individual staff member."

Mansons is a property development company founded by Rich Lister Ted Manson.

Mr Callaghan, who is the father of a 5-year-old son with Ms Thomas, would not comment last night.

When asked if the visit was a routine inquiry, police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said: "We would be remiss if we didn't carry out a number of inquiries with the contacts and associates of Carmen."

She declined to comment about whether Mr Callaghan had provided a DNA sample.

"All I can say is that we have spoken to the father of Carmen's child. He has provided us with a statement."

Mr Callaghan has previously said he had spoken with police "numerous times".

Police were still at a loss as to how Ms Thomas' car arrived in Hamilton, and officers yesterday spoke to motorists in rural southeast Auckland after a newly reported sighting of her car around the time she went missing.

Hundreds of drivers were stopped on Sandstone Rd in Whitford and asked to fill out a questionnaire. They were also shown photos of Ms Thomas' three-door Nissan Pulsar hatchback.

Police were investigating a potential sighting of Ms Thomas' car parked in the area in late June or the first week of July.

The car, with a registration plate ATS209, was discovered in Hamilton's Dyer St on July 13 and police believe it was abandoned there on July 7 or 8.

Detectives found enough blood inside the vehicle to convince them that Ms Thomas had been murdered. Her body has not been found.

Ms Hegarty declined to comment on what other forensic evidence had been found in the car.

Asked whether it was possible the car travelled along back roads to Hamilton through the Hunua area to escape detection, Ms Hegarty said nothing was being ruled out.

"The short answer is that we don't know what happened to Carmen. Someone out there knows something and we need that person to contact us."

South African-born Ms Thomas was last seen in Auckland on June 27, although a text was sent to her boss from her phone on July 3. She worked at a Pakuranga men's club.

Police are appealing for information on a blue-lidded wheelie bin - serial number 014172 - missing from her home in Remuera.

* Phone 0800 KEPPEL (0800-537-735), email whereiscarmen@police.govt.nz or call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.