Tea Wright-Finger, 19, was last seen on Sunday, October 16я╗┐ on Coalbrook Road in the town of Richmond, five-and-a-half hours drive inland from Townsville.
Wright-Finger was driving a blue 2013 Toyota Prado 4WD with the registration 210-TLAя╗┐ when she disappeared.
Inspector Damien Crosby said the Prado was stolen from Proserpine, in Queensland’s Whitsunday region, on October 14.
я╗┐”The Prado, which has been linked to Tea and which she was last seen in the vicinity of, was a stolen vehicle,” he said.
“Tea is obviously connected to the vehicle and the vehicle was stolen a short time before she was reported missing by her family.”
Crosby said the car doesn’t belong to someone known to Wright-Finger and was “obtained by fraudulent means without payment”.
Police have been unable to find the car or confirm which direction it travelled in Richmond when Wright-Finger went missing.я╗┐
Crosby said police are following up on every lead in the search for Wright-Finger but there is no evidence so far to suggest she’s been met by foul play.я╗┐
Emergency services launched a search on Saturday in the Flinders River area after her phone switched on briefly around 9.30am on Tuesday, October 18.
Since her phone switched on, there has been no sign of Wright-Finger.я╗┐
A land and air search has been underway for the past 10 days through rugged terrain and thick vegetation along я╗┐the Flinders River, but there has been no luck in locating the 19-year-old or her car.
Emergency services are concerned for her welfare after temperatures hit upwards of 35C over the past week in the Richmond area.я╗┐
Earlier this week, the Mount Isa RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter scoured more than 700 kilometres of land from Richmond down to Blackbraes National Park.
“Unfortunately the crew found no signs of the missing woman,” RACQ Lifeflight said in a statement.
Wright-Finger is Caucasian, approximately 180cms tall with a medium build and blondish or light brown hair.
Anyone who has seen Wright-Finger, or the car, should contact Queensland Police.