Investigators focus search for Mollie Tibbetts

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Mollie Tibbetts poster hung outside of an ATM kiosk on Lincoln Way on Aug. 19.

Devyn Leeson

Investigators in the search for Mollie Tibbetts are focusing their efforts to five areas of interest.

According to the government website dedicated to finding Tibbetts, the team of more than 40 investigators on the case are focusing on her boyfriend’s home in Brooklyn, Iowa, a local car wash, a truck stop and two farms between three and six miles outside of Brooklyn.

Anyone who wants to come forward with tips can do so by calling Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa at 1-800-452-1111. There is also a dedicated email that accepts tips: [email protected].

A fund made to incentivize tips will be awarded to anyone who provides a tip leading to Tibbetts’ safe return. Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa said the fund has reached nearly $400,000.

Investigators told reporters Wednesday the areas of interest were targeted to raise awareness and to jog the memories of those who could have possibly remembered seeing Tibbetts in the area at the time of her disappearance.

Tibbetts has been missing since July 18 after dog sitting for her boyfriend, Dalton Jack, at his house in Brooklyn.

Poweshiek County Sheriff Tom Kriegel said a neighbor saw Tibbetts running at approximately 7:30 p.m. on July 18, and reported she was wearing gym shorts, a pink sports bra and running shoes.

Her last known communication with anyone was around 10 p.m. that night — a Snapchat message shared between Tibbetts and her boyfriend, Kriegel said. Her boyfriend said the Snapchat message appeared to be indoors.

The car wash and the truck stop are areas of interest as they have security cameras on sight and are located around busy intersections in Brooklyn.

“Law enforcement is currently seeking additional witnesses and wants to speak to anyone who was in the [five areas indicated] on July 18, 2018 between the hours of 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.,” according to the “Finding Mollie” website.

Since the focus on the five areas started Monday, Rob Tibbetts, Mollie’s father, told Fox News the website has brought in nearly 200 new tips over the span of four days.

Tibbetts’ father also talked about a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence. In the meeting Pence told Tibbetts they had “pledged the full force of the federal government” to assist in the search.