Police ask public to check CCTV and contact 101 after man vanishes near Cortonwood
South Yorkshire Police have issued an urgent appeal after a 38-year-old man, known only as Simon, was reported missing from the Cortonwood Retail Park area in Rotherham on the morning of Tuesday 27 October. Officers said he was last seen in the vicinity earlier that day and that concerns are growing for his welfare.
Police described Simon as a white man, approximately 5 ft 7 ins tall with a slim build. At the time he was last observed he was wearing a green puffa jacket with a fur-lined hood, black tracksuit bottoms and dark green Crocs. The force has asked anyone who may have seen him, or who has footage or other information, to come forward.
“He has not been seen or heard from since and concerns are growing for his welfare.”
The force has provided an incident reference — 97 of October 27 2026 — and asked people to contact them through their online live chat service or by phoning 101 if they believe they can help. Officers are coordinating searches of the area around the retail park and are checking CCTV and other local enquiries to establish Simon's movements before he was reported missing.
What the public can do to help
- Check personal CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage from the Cortonwood Retail Park area and nearby streets from the morning of 27 October.
- Contact South Yorkshire Police via live chat, online forms, or by calling 101 with incident number 97 of October 27 2026.
- If you see someone matching the description, do not approach if it would place you in danger; instead call 101 immediately and provide details.
Local residents and businesses in Rotherham are being asked to remain vigilant. Retail parks and main thoroughfares can experience heavy footfall and vehicle movements, and even small pieces of information — such as the direction someone was seen heading, the time they were observed, or a brief description of a vehicle — can assist investigators to build a timeline.
Details supplied by the force and how they will be used
Officers typically use information from the public to identify last confirmed sightings and to prioritise search areas. In this case, the combination of clothing details and a precise last-seen location will help crews and volunteers focus enquiries. Police have not released further personal details about Simon but have reiterated the urgency of the appeal.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age | 38 |
| Last seen | Cortonwood Retail Park, morning of 27 October 2026 |
| Clothing | Green puffa jacket (fur-lined hood); black tracksuit bottoms; dark green Crocs |
| Police ref | 97 of October 27 2026 |
Anyone with information is urged to contact South Yorkshire Police promptly. The force handles missing-person cases as a matter of priority when there are concerns for welfare, and rapid public assistance can be decisive in locating individuals quickly and safely.
Local community groups and volunteers in Rotherham sometimes support searches for missing people; however, police ask that members of the public do not undertake organised searches without coordination to ensure resources are used safely and effectively. If you have relevant information, contact the force so officers can deploy the appropriate teams.
The appeal is ongoing and any update from South Yorkshire Police will be published in due course when confirmed. For now, officers are asking people who were in or around Cortonwood Retail Park on the morning of 27 October to check any footage or recollections and to contact them with any information that could assist the investigation.
