Met Police searching for teenage girl missing for more than a week

Julia Skala, 16, reportedly left home at around 1pm on Monday January 8.

(PA) (PA Archive)

Police are searching for a teenage girl who has been missing for more than a week, the Met said.

Julia Skala, 16, is said to have left her south-west London home at around 1pm on January 8 and Scotland Yard is now appealing for the public to help find her.

Her family reportedly said it is “unusual for her to be away from home this long” and officers are increasingly concerned for her welfare.

The girl, from Mitcham, was last seen wearing a black North Face jacket, black trousers, white Nike trainers, and carrying a black Nike rucksack.

She was reported missing the next morning and an investigation was launched that included house-to-house inquiries and recovering CCTV, the Met said.

Superintendent Josh Laughton, from the local policing team in south-west London, said: “Julia’s family have told us it is unusual for her to be away from home for this long.

“While there’s no evidence to suggest she has come to harm, we are growing increasingly concerned about her welfare.

“We use a range of tactics to trace the movements of a missing person, however despite our inquiries, we still have no indication of where she is.

“Julia has links to Lambeth, Camden and Islington. It’s likely she would have travelled by public transport.

“I would ask anyone who thinks they may have seen her over the past week to come forward immediately.”