Green Bay police searching site in Portage County in 1998 disappearance of Amber Wilde

GREEN BAY (WITI) -- Green Bay police officers were an hour away from their home base on Wednesday, November 5th -- investigating the cold case involving the disappearance of 19-year-old Amber Wilde.

Wilde hasn't been seen since September 1998. She was four-and-a-half months pregnant when she disappeared.

Police say new technology and information led them to a search area in Portage County. The 30 acres of land investigators spent the day at is just across the Waupaca County line.

Green Bay police have been to the remote Portage County property before. They searched it in 2000 -- two years after Amber Wilde disappeared.

Police say new leads and resources brought them back.

"We continue to get new information and there's been some changes and advancements in technology and the ability to recover older evidence," Green Bay Police Captain Todd Thomas said.

Wilde moved to Green Bay in late summer of 1998 to attend UW-Green Bay. Police said on September 23rd of that year, Wilde was involved in a minor traffic crash on her way to school. She called her father on the phone and then someone whom police haven't identified. Police believe that's the last time Wilde was heard from.

A week after that, Wilde's car was found at a bar on Green Bay's west side. Police say the car had about 700 unaccounted miles on it and that they have evidence Wilde did not drive it there.

Over the years, police have taken part in dozens of searches, just like the one in Portage County, hoping to find clues to what happened to Wilde.

"It's not any new specific information. It's just part of the entire investigation as a whole that gave us enough information to apply for another search warrant for the property," Thomas said.

Last year, police said they were close to naming a suspect in the case. However, they still haven't done that. Throughout the years, Wilde's family has urged anyone with information to come forward.

"Don't be afraid to open your mouth and say something if you know something. This is ridiculous. We know lots of people know what happened -- and they're just afraid to come forward," Wilde's grandmother, Jane Wilde said.

Police wouldn't say whether the latest search turned up any new evidence.

Green Bay police say there were just under 20 investigators at the scene on Wednesday.

They expected to be done searching the property either overnight, or at some point Thursday.

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