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Police release CCTV footage of missing boy

Author
Jimmy Ellingham and Patrice Dougan of NZME News Service,
Publish Date
Wed, 7 Oct 2015, 6:50AM

Police release CCTV footage of missing boy

Author
Jimmy Ellingham and Patrice Dougan of NZME News Service,
Publish Date
Wed, 7 Oct 2015, 6:50AM

Updated 8.20PM: Police have released CCTV footage of missing boy Alex Fisher, with his brother Eric.

It was taken at the local Four Square in Waitarere on Monday night before Alex went missing from a domain near the southern block of the Waitarere forest, northwest of Levin, sometime early on Tuesday morning. 

Police originally said he had been with a family member before becoming separated and now Manawatu area commander Sarah Stewart has confirmed Eric is the family member Alex was with when he went missing.

"The public can really help us locate Alex by reporting any sightings of him on Monday afternoon or evening, or in fact any time prior to this date. We are looking for sightings of him or his brother, together or separately."

Stewart said a search of the forest will not continue tonight, as conditions make it difficult after dark.

A man connected to the 10-year-old's disappearance has appeared in Levin District Court today.  

He's charged with having a knife in a public place, on Forest Road, where Alex went missing.

The man, who is aged in his 20s, was granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody.

The court heard he was likely to face at least one further, unspecified charge.

Earlier this afternoon police found an asthma inhaler and pencil case belonging to Alex.

And at that point they said there was no evidence of foul play.

In a statement issued this morning Stewart said that it had been an "incredibly difficult time" for Alex's family.

"They are missing their little boy and they're being really helpful for us and keeping in contact with police, but obviously it's been a difficult time for everyone involved.

Alex has brown hair, is 1.52m tall and was wearing a red hooded sweat shirt, blue shorts and black shoes. He might also be carrying a green or blue puffer jacket and light grey tracksuit pants.

Police and search and rescue teams with dog units searched the forest and beach areas yesterday for Alex and rescuers asked the public to stay away while the dogs work to find tracks in the area.

Hydrabad Holiday Park and Waitarere Beach Motor Camp owner Deborah Nichol told the Herald police helicopters were at work and one landed across the road from the motor camp earlier.

"The place is crawling with cops and LandSAR guys."

The southern block of the forest was about 15sq km, she said.

"It's not huge. Roughly we're looking at between 4.5km and 5km from the southern entrance to Hokio Beach and then it's about 3km or 4km wide."

Nichol found out about the search mid-morning after campers were stopped by police in the domain, just behind the camp.

Earlier in the day, officers were showing people in the area photographs of Alex.

He's the first person to go missing in the area since a man was lost in the forest's larger northern block "donkey's years ago", Mrs Nichol said.

A Waitarere resident, who asked not to be named, said the domain area where the boy was last seen was a busy hang-out for children and families during the day.

There weren't any camping facilities there, but there was a BBQ area.

"The domain is our main playground for our children. It's got a Scout hall, a field, tennis courts there, that sort of thing. It's a popular area."

Tony Strawbridge, who runs the Windy Waves Bed and Breakfast, said the temperature in the seaside town was about 15C or 16C yesterday.

The southern block of forest, where the search was concentrated, was a fenced area with cycle tracks.

"It would be very hard to get lost in there," he said.

"As locals we've been asked just to keep out of the forest. They've got a helicopter I've seen going up and [the searchers] are using the local fire station as a base."

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