Police detective in press detective, Nicola Bulley smiling in photo shown on This Morning
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Nicola Bulley disappearance: Police hit out at TikTok users ‘playing private detective’ amid ‘hurtful’ myths

Nicola went missing on January 27

Police have hit out at TikTok users for “playing private detective” in the Nicola Bulley disappearance case.

Nicola, a mother of two, has been missing since January 27 and her disappearance has left the nation trying to figure out what has happened to her.

But last week, Lancashire Police warned members of the public against doing this.

Nicola Bulley smiling in picture shown on BBC News
Nicola Bulley has been missing since January 27 (Credit: BBC News)

Police warning over Nicola Bulley disappearance

Now, in a press conference, police have addressed “persistent myths” about the case and urged TikTok users to stop “playing private detective”.

On Wednesday (February 15), Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith, of Lancashire Police, spoke out in the conference in the latest update on the case.

She said officers have received “false information, accusations and rumours” from social media users which is “distracting” them from their work.

Police detective speaking on Nicola Bulley disappearance in press conference
Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith spoke in a press conference today (Credit: Sky News)

Detective Superintendent Smith said this has “significantly distracted” the investigation.

She also said she has “never seen anything like it” in her 29 years in policing.

Detective Superintendent Smith said in the conference: “Some of it has been quite shocking, and really hurtful, to the family.”

She said they won’t “disregard anything” but they have “reviewed everything” that has come in.

“But of course it has distracted us significantly. But as long as we are prioritising, which we do constantly, on the information that’s coming in that will not distract us from the priority actions that we’ve been completing.”

Nicola Bulley smiling in photo shown on This Morning
Police have urged people on social media to stop ‘playing private detectives’ (Credit: ITV/This Morning)

Nicola Bulley missing

Addressing some of the theories on social media, she continued: “The derelict house which is across the other side of the river has been searched three times, with the permission of the owner, and Nicola is not in there.

“The red van… we’re really grateful to members of the public for ringing in to the inquiry.

“We wouldn’t have got this far without everybody’s help.”

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She concluded: “In terms of the glove that has been recovered, you’ll no doubt be aware that TikTokers have been playing their own private detectives and have been in the area.

Read more: Disappearance of Nicola Bulley: Furious viewers blast ‘defensive’ police over latest televised update

“A glove has been recovered that is not believed to be relevant to the investigation.

“It is not Nicola’s but we have got that in our possession.”

Nicola went missing on January 27 when she took her dog for a walk in St Michael’s on Wyre.

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Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)

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