A Polish woman who sparked a huge search operation just days after she arrived in Devon to resume her job has been found locally sleeping rough by an off-duty police officer.
Magdalena Krawiec arrived in Paignton on Sunday, May 12, and started work at the Blue Sea Food Company the next day.
After she finished her shift, she returned to her flat but failed to contact relatives and friends who became concerned for her welfare and reported her missing to the police.
She was recorded on CCTV leaving her home at 8pm and later spotted on other cameras after a number of appeals for shops and hotels to check their recordings.
Devon and Cornwall police released a number of CCTV images of the 20-year-old who had been missing for nearly a week until she was spotted "by chance".
On Saturday, at 7.05pm, an off-duty police officer came across her looking "dishevelled" and apparently having been living rough.
She was taken to Torbay District Hospital and appears to be physically well.
A police spokesman yesterday said it was not clear what had happened to Magdalena, who was still being "debriefed" by officers.
"There is no indication she has been the victim of crime but appears to be more of a welfare issue," he added.
"Either she couldn't cope or needed some time alone in some way – it has caused a lot of people a lot of concern."
Police conducted a large operation to find the missing woman including analysing bank and mobile phone data as well as trawling CCTV databases.
Officers conducted a public engagement operation in the town, handing out posters in English and Polish to appeal for information, after a disappearance which was described as "out of character".
A series of images were distributed locally and printed in newspapers and posted on websites, including a video which showed her walking along Marine Drive, near the Redcliffe Hotel
A statement was issued to reassure members of the Polish community, who were said to be feeling concerned for their safety following the appeal.
Police said they will be speaking to Magdalena and any further inquiries will depend on any information she is able to provide.
Her family have now been informed and are said to be delighted that she has been found safe and well.
