UK UK - Marek Kurka, 36, St Margaret's Cliffe, Kent, 2 July 2014

[Al Ka]

Marek Kurka

Published - 16 October 2014
Police appeal for information on missing man

Police are appealing for information on a man missing from his home in Thornton Heath, Borough of Croydon, London.

Marek Kurka, 36, has not been seen since Tuesday, 1 July 2014.

He is known to have travelled by bicycle from Thornton Heath to Dover between Tuesday,1 and Wednesday, 2 July.

The last sighting of him was in Dover Town Centre and St Margaret's Cliff on Wednesday, 2 July.

He was believed to be wearing yellow cycling shorts and a yellow jacket. He is of medium build, 5ft 10in tall with receding greying hair.

Anyone with information is asked to please call Croydon Missing Persons Unit, Metropolitan Police on 0208 649 0231.

Police appeal for information on missing man | News on Dover.UK.com

 

[Al Ka]

His profile on Missing People org page

Marek Kurka

• Age at disappearance: 38
• Missing Since: 28-Jun-2014
• Missing from: Thornton Heath, London
• Reference No: 14-003066

Help us find Marek Kurka

Various articles report different ages when he went missing, from 35 to 38. What is really correct age I can't confirm at this time. Despite Missing people stating day of him missing as 28th June, last sighting of him was on 2nd July. Thornton Heath in Borough of Croydon of South London is where he resided. Last sighting was though at village of St Margaret's Cliff in Borough of Kent, near the south east coast. Around 80 miles bike journey from his home.

His Met missing reference number of the case is 14MIS023604 (Source of reference number - St Margaret's At Cliffe Parish Council » Help needed Missing Person)

 

[Al Ka]

Published 15 Jan 2015
Police appeal for information on missing hotel night manager

Members of the hospitality industry are being asked to get in touch with police over the disappearance of hotel night manager.

Marek Kurka, who worked as hotel night manager in London and has spent most of his working life in the industry, was last seen on 2nd July 2014 when he travelled from his home in Thornton Heath, London to Dover.

The 38 year old was last seen in the St Margaret's Cliff area on the same day and friends and family are becoming increasingly worried about him.

Police at Croydon's Missing Person Unit are appealing for anyone in the industry who may have information on Kurka's whereabouts to get in touch.

Police appeal for information on missing hotel night manager

 

[Al Ka]

January 23, 2015
Police call for info on missing night manager

A hotel night manager working at a boutique in central London is missing and the police are appealing for new information.

Marek Kurka was a member of staff at The Zetter in Clerkenwell Road London when he disappeared on July 2nd 2014. He was last seen travelling to his home in Thornton Heath to Dover on the coast.

He is 38 years old and spent most of his life working in the hotel and hospitality industry and friends and family are becoming increasingly concerned for his welfare.

https://www.boutiquehotelier.com/police-call-for-info-on-missing-night-manager/

 

[Al Ka]

Various articles in Polish. Few extra details.

(click to enlarge)

Missing Marek Kurka is Polish national. His height 178 cm which I guess is equivalent to reported 5ft 10 in . His weight is 90 kg which is about 199 lbs. Has grey hair and blue eyes.

From already reported that he was wearing yellow cycling shorts and a yellow jacket, Polish news reports that he was wearing yellow bicycle tracksuit and gray helmet. He also had black rucksack and bike.

I have not found any details about his bike yet apart that it might have had gray colour. I assume it was not one used regularly around the city but rather special one used by pro cyclists.

Marek Kurka, lat 42
W Londynie zaginął Marek Kurka
Marek Kurka zaginął, nikt nie wie gdzie jest . Londyn

 

[Al Ka]

Map of his 83 mile journey from Thornton Heath, Croydon in London to Dover and then to St Margaret's Cliff on South East coast.

Google Maps

(no idea yet how to do screenshots of map for easier viewing)

 

[Mrs Marple]

Any idea why he chose to cycle all that way?

I live in Kent and l've never heard of this case. The sea at St Margarets can get rough at high tide. The cliffs don't have barriers and are accessible all along here to central Dover. Could he have got on a ferry?

 

[Al Ka]

Any idea why he chose to cycle all that way?

I live in Kent and l've never heard of this case. The sea at St Margarets can get rough at high tide. The cliffs don't have barriers and are accessible all along here to central Dover. Could he have got on a ferry?

I assume he just enjoyed cycling and sightseeing and probably was doing that often during his time off work. For some reason I doubt he would go on ferry and abroad. You would pack much more than just little rucksack for that.

I really hope they were some official searches done around that road around the village and coast for him. I have not seen it mentioned in any news articles though.

That his family is from abroad and there is probably language barrier might complicate things for them to do usuall push on police to keep looking or on media to do wider publicity. Also, for all those reasons I did make thread for him here, so locals and others can see it.

 

[Mrs Marple]

There is an article on the local rags website and in the St Margaret at Cliffe parish council from the local PC, but l can't find anything else local.

 

[Mrs Marple]

St Margaret's At Cliffe Parish Council » Help needed Missing Person

Link to appeal - made by Croydon not local.

St Margaret's is an affluent area with the bay being popular with tourists and as a filming location. The main town of Dover is quite run down. There are quite a few Polish and eastern Europeans in east Kent and Dover in particular.

 

[Mrs Marple]

Double post

 

[FragileDreams]

According to this page, Marek's bike was a grey road bike.

W Londynie zaginął Marek Kurka

 

[FragileDreams]

According to the Polish police website, Marek Kurka was born in 1975, so he will be 45 this year. I believe his disappearance was reported to Polish authorities by his family, so DOB likely accurate.

KURKA MAREK

His profile on Missing People org page

Marek Kurka

• Age at disappearance: 38
• Missing Since: 28-Jun-2014
• Missing from: Thornton Heath, London
• Reference No: 14-003066

Help us find Marek Kurka

Various articles report different ages when he went missing, from 35 to 38. What is really correct age I can't confirm at this time. Despite Missing people stating day of him missing as 28th June, last sighting of him was on 2nd July. Thornton Heath in Borough of Croydon of South London is where he resided. Last sighting was though at village of St Margaret's Cliff in Borough of Kent, near the south east coast. Around 80 miles bike journey from his home.

His Met missing reference number of the case is 14MIS023604 (Source of reference number - St Margaret's At Cliffe Parish Council » Help needed Missing Person)

 

[FragileDreams]

In 2018, Marek Kurka's father appeared in Polish TV show called "Has anyone seen, does anyone know?". It's a Polish Crimewatch type of thing. He talked about his son's disappearance and said something rather surprising. He said that "Marek's debit card was used in Dover and we don't know if he's ever reached Dover". The suggestion that someone used his card, some thief and not necessarily someone who caused his son's disappearance, followed.

Ktokolwiek widział... - 18.03.2018

Until hearing this, I believed that Marek's sightings in Dover have been 100% confirmed as mentioned by all UK and Polish media covering the story and in police appeals.

Mr Kurka also said that Marek took all his stuff from workplace locker on his last day at work. I can imagine people do it from time to time to wash clothes etc. Not sure how significant it was and why pointed it out? It probably depends what kind of stuff he stored in that locker.

 

[RobinCAL]

Such a sad story, I hope the questions of his disappearance is soon answered and the family can have peace

 

[Al Ka]

In 2018, Marek Kurka's father appeared in Polish TV show called "Has anyone seen, does anyone know?". It's a Polish Crimewatch type of thing. He talked about his son's disappearance and said something rather surprising. He said that "Marek's debit card was used in Dover and we don't know if he's ever reached Dover". The suggestion that someone used his card, some thief and not necessarily someone who caused his son's disappearance, followed.

Ktokolwiek widział... - 18.03.2018

Until hearing this, I believed that Marek's sightings in Dover have been 100% confirmed as mentioned by all UK and Polish media covering the story and in police appeals.

Mr Kurka also said that Marek took all his stuff from workplace locker on his last day at work. I can imagine people do it from time to time to wash clothes etc. Not sure how significant it was and why pointed it out? It probably depends what kind of stuff he stored in that locker.

Thank you for the extra information. The last sighting of Marek was in Dover Town Centre and St Margaret's Cliff village on Wednesday, 2 July. For some reason I believe there was CCTV of him in one of those two places but scrolling back I don't see it mentioned. In my vague memory I also recall someone stated that they have talked to him in person while there but again I don't see it here.

He definitely made it south and with such a long bike journey I would assume he was staying overnight while visiting someone before returning to London.

If his debit card was used there, it would just confirm his stay and location, of course if card was used numerous days after his last contact than questions should have been asked.

It is still not too obvious from little details known in his case if he might have been in accident or if there was foul play involved. So far neither can be ruled out.

 

[Mrs Marple]

It is possible he fell over the cliff top and was swept out to sea.