'We just really want to find him:' Family, community searching for missing Metro Vancouver father
Update: Police said Thursday 65-year-old Rajesh Verma was found. No details on his whereabouts or condition were provided.
Family, friends and concerned community members are searching for a Metro Vancouver man who has been missing for several days.
Rajesh Verma, 65, was last seen by family on Sept. 15 on Armstrong Avenue near Cascade Street in Burnaby. The RCMP issued their first appeal for information the following day.
Since then, Rajesh's son Arjun says the efforts to find the missing man have been narrowed down to the area near where he was last seen, around East Cumberland and Columbia streets in the neighbouring city of New Westminster.
"We're keeping our hopes high that we will find him soon, safe and happy. Family, friends and local supporters have really come out in big numbers to go door knocking around the entire area," Arjun said.
"At this point we just we need the next clue, the next lead to determine where he may have gone from this location so that we can continue to track this movement and hopefully find him."
On Sunday, RCMP renewed their call for information focussing in on the New Westminster location, asking anyone who was in the Sapperton Landing area, including Westminster Pier Park, between 4 and 6 p.m. Thursday to look at their dashcam and security footage, and to report any potential sightings of Rajesh.
Verma is described as 5'6" tall and is balding with grey hair. He has brown eyes and was last seen wearing a white long-sleeved shirt, black runners with white soles and dark blue pants.
Arjun said his father was known to go on long walks, but the family became concerned after he was out of touch for several hours. He describes his father's demeanour leading up to his disappearance as "in good spirits overall," noting he had recently returned from a cruise.
"We just really want to find him."
Anyone with information can call Burnaby RCMP at 604-646-9999. Tips can also be left anonymously with Crime Stoppers.
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