£20,000 reward offered in the case of a teenager who went missing just before his 17th birthday in 2008 – Key updates!!!
Alexander Sloley vanished from Islington, north London, in August 2008 without a trace. Now, nearly 18 years later, the Metropolitan Police are offering a staggering £20,000 reward for anyone who can provide information that leads to his safe return. This is not just another missing person case — it is a chilling reminder of how quickly lives can disappear and the desperate hope that still flickers in families who refuse to give up.
Born on 4 August 1991, Alexander “Alex” Sloley was only 16 when he disappeared on 2 August 2008 — just two days before his 17th birthday. He had been staying at a friend’s house in Edmonton, north London. Around midday, he left to walk home for what was supposed to be a joyful family celebration. He never made it. Police believe he may have been exploited by local gangs at the time, possibly coerced into criminal activity, though no evidence of harm has ever emerged.
When he left, Alex carried almost nothing. He had very little money, no wallet, and no spare clothes or passport to suggest he planned to run away for any extended period. This detail has haunted the investigation: why would a 16-year-old leave everything behind? His family later learned he had been arrested shortly before vanishing, adding layers of confusion to the already painful mystery.
The Metropolitan Police launched an immediate investigation. Officers checked CCTV footage, interviewed friends and family, and spoke to thousands of people over the years. Hundreds of sightings were reported — people claiming to have seen a teenage boy fitting Alex’s description on buses, trains, or in North London streets — but none led to a breakthrough. In 2019, detectives released an e-fit of what Alex might look like now, aged 27, as part of a renewed appeal.
Today, Alex would be 35. His mother, Nerissa Tivy, has spoken publicly about the years of unanswered questions. She has three sisters — Natasha, Tazrah, and Lattina — and the family has never received even a single message from their brother. His father, Christopher, died in 2014 without ever knowing the fate of his son. Alex’s friends and family describe him as gentle, smart, and deeply devoted to his mother’s Caribbean cooking — he adored plantain, dumplings, and porridge. He played football and dressed neatly, never looking scruffy.
Detective Chief Inspector Sarb Kaur leads the case. In a recent appeal, she said: “We are looking to speak with anyone who believes they were exploited by gangs in North London around 2008 and may have seen Alex or have information to contact us. You will not be in trouble, but you may hold key information which could help us piece the jigsaw together.” The £20,000 reward is designed to offer anonymity and hope to anyone carrying a secret from that dark period. Over time, allegiances can change, and the police are betting that the promise of this substantial sum will be enough to break the silence.
The investigation remains active and is reviewed regularly by senior officers. Police have used every modern tool — including e-fits, social media campaigns, and appeals to Crimestoppers — yet Alex’s whereabouts are still unknown. His mother has continued to campaign, and charities such as Missing People have kept his story alive.
This case raises difficult questions about exploitation of vulnerable teenagers in urban areas, the reliability of the justice system at the time, and the human cost of unsolved missing person cases. Every year on 4 August, the family gathers to mark what would have been Alex’s birthday — a day now filled with grief rather than joy. They hope that one phone call, one small piece of information, will finally bring him home and give them the closure they have waited nearly two decades for.
If you have any information — however small it may seem — about Alexander Sloley, please contact the Metropolitan Police immediately. Phone or text 07860 369 603, or use 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Every lead could be the one that changes everything.
