A TEENAGE girl who vanished while walking to school more than 30 years ago could still be alive in Melbourne, police believe.
Lambrini Andreopoulos disappeared on the March 25, 1978. Aged 13 at the time, she was seen heading to Footscray Girls’ School from her family’s home in Charles Street, Seddon.
On Thursday police said they had received fresh information, which has led investigators to believe Lambrini was still living in the city.
“Our information is that she may have changed her name and started a new life for herself,” Detective Senior Constable Brendan O’Mahoney said.
“That is totally her prerogative but we need to know that she is OK.”
Senior Detective O’Mahoney urged Lambrini to call police or Crime Stoppers, and said her privacy would respected.
She is not the only decades-old case that police believe they can solve. Investigators are appealing for a man to come forward who they believe knows what happened to Janina Wojcik, who disappeared from the Newport Railway station 50 years ago.
Mrs Wojcik, who would now be 91, was reported missing by husband Marion Wojcik on February 28, 1963. He had last seen her on Christmas Eve, 1962, wearing a blue skirt and white cardigan, having told him she was going on a holiday.
Inquiries by original investigators established that a taxi driver took Janina from her home in David Street, Altona, to the Newport railway station. But her movements from there are not known.
Detective Senior Constable Luke Dalli, of Hobsons Bay Crime Investigation Unit, said it was now understood that Mrs Wojcik had been in contact with a man called Karl Kruber, who worked at the Sunshine Cabinet Works.
Senior Detective Dalli believes Mr Kruber could help solve the case.
“We would dearly love to have this case solved,” Senior Detective Dalli said.
“The original investigators did the best that they could with the tools that they had at the time, however, technology has come a long way and we are asking people to reach out on their social networks in the hope of solving this one.
“One Facebook post or retweet may get us the information that we need.”
Mrs Wojcik was born in the town of Ostrow Mazowiecka in Poland, and is described as 165 centimetres tall, of medium build, with brown hair and brown eyes.
Her maiden name was Lenard and she will be 92 on June 25.
People with information should contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppers.com.au.
