A REWARD of £10,000 is being offered in hope of making a breakthrough in a murder case which has remained unsolved for three years.

Grandfather Robert Hutchinson disappeared in June 2014 and although his body has never been found, detectives are convinced he was murdered.

Now Crimestoppers have upped their reward for information leading to the conviction of his killer.

The 57-year-old was last seen leaving his home in Corporation Road in the Hendon area of Sunderland in his car.

He has not been seen since, but a month later his car was found abandoned across the city in Stewart Street, just off Chester Road.

Northumbria Police say that extensive inquiries led them to believe he had come to harm.

Today, on the third anniversary of his disappearance, members of Mr Hutchinson’s family joined officers handing out leaflets on the streets near where the vehicle was found.

Detective Inspector Ed Small, who is carrying a review of the case as part of Northumbria Police’s Unsolved Murders Revisited, said: “Our condolences very much remain with Robert’s family.

“I’m sure it has been a very difficult few years and the not having the answers only prolongs their grief. We need answers to what happened to him”.

He added: “We hope that together with Crimestoppers and the people of Sunderland, we can help find the person or people responsible to Robert’s death”.

“There will be people in the community who will have information about his murder and information that can assist with our enquiry and we need them to come forward and speak to us.

“Robert’s car was found at the end of Stewart Street near to Chester Road, it had been left sometime overnight between Monday, June 23 and Tuesday, June 24 so we are targeting the area to establish Robert’s last movements.

“I would ask anyone with any information, no matter how irrelevant they think it is, to come forward.”

A spokesperson for Crimestoppers said: “Somewhere out there someone knows who has committed this act, and we urge them to contact the Charity Crimestoppers in complete anonymity in order to help bring the individual to justice.”

Anyone with information that can assist should contact Northumbria Police on 101 ext 69191 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.