POLICE ARE continuing to search for 13-year-old Carmelle Hepi after she was reported missing from Barnsley. Three men were arrested for kidnap in connection with Carmelle’s disappearance.

Carmelle was reported missing on Sunday, and is believed to have travelled to London’s Kings Cross, arriving at 6.09pm on the Saturday.

She is believed to have attended a birthday party in Watling Street in Peckham that evening, but has not been seen since.

Detectives say she left in a car with a group of people in a car around 11pm.

Three males, all aged in their 20s, have been arrested on suspicion of kidnap. All remain in custody at this time.

Officers believe Carmelle may now be in the company of an older male.

However, it is not known yet where they might be.

She is also believed to have attended addresses in Croydon, Lewisham and Purfleet in Essex.

The Met say there is no information at this time to suggest that Carmelle has come to serious harm.

But due to her age, vulnerabilities, and concerns around who she may be associating with, the investigation to locate her is being led by detectives from Specialist Crime.

A social media appeal to help locate Carmelle was issued yesterday from the Met’s Lambeth and Southwark feeds.

This features an image of Carmelle taken in a car, and is believed to have been taken in the Peckham area on the Sunday.

Footage has also been released from the same day showing her entering the Primark in High Street, Croydon at around 4.45pm before leaving at around 5.05pm.

It shows her in the pink and white jacket she may be wearing now.

The senior investigating officer is Detective Chief Inspector Chris Wood, who said: “Carmelle, I want you to know that you are not in any trouble whatsoever. Our one and only focus is making sure that you are safe and well.

“Please call 999 and speak to us, or go to a police station, and we will get you back home safely. Your family are desperately worried about you and while we’re supporting them as best we can, they need to know that you’re OK and to come home. They cannot rest until you’re back with them.

DCI Wood added: “My team are working round the clock, supported by our colleagues at South Yorkshire Police and local officers. As well as the arrests made, we have spoken to multiple people, searched a number of addresses and officers are conducting extensive CCTV enquiries, along with various other leads we are pursuing.

“Members of the public can help us locate Carmelle. If you have seen Carmelle, or you know her and have information about where she is or has been, it is imperative that you contact us. It doesn’t matter if you’re a friend who has heard or seen something in passing – you won’t be in trouble. What matters is that you contact as you could have significant information to help us find a missing teenage girl.”

Please call 101 or tweet @MetCC with any information 3258/25JUN23. For immediate sightings please call 999.