RCMP in northern B.C. continue their search for a 61-year-old man who’s now been missing for over a month.
Andrew Charles Ward was last seen on May 9 and since then, Quesnel Mounties have obtained surveillance footage of his last known sighting in a business along Barkerville Highway.
According to RCMP, the video shows Ward at the 4 Mile Store and Coffee Shop, roughly three blocks east of the Highway 97/26 intersection, that same day at 7:20 p.m. and appears to be with another individual.
Ward left the business in his grey Jeep YJ and was believed to be heading towards the area of Pinnacles Provincial Park.
Police describe Ward’s disappearance as ‘out of character’ and his family is concerned for his safety.
"This is not some random missing person,” says Ward’s sister in a news release.
“He is my brother, and I miss him. His family misses him. We are desperate for some resolution. If you have any information, please speak up."
North District RCMP Cpl. Madonna Saunderson adds that all efforts to try and find Ward have come up short, which has included help from the BC RCMP Major Crime Section due to the unusual nature of his disappearance.
“We continue to search for Andrew and at this point in the investigation are asking for anyone who had dealings with Andrew in the Quesnel area during the months of April and May to contact police,” says Cpl. Saunderson in the same statement.
"Regardless of whether or not you saw him in the days leading up to his disappearance, police are trying to gain a better understanding of who Andrew was, and what may have happened to him."
Ward is described as:
- 5'8"
- Skinny build
- Short, dark, salt and pepper hair
- Scruffy beard
- Arms covered in tattoos
- Wears glasses
Other teams involved in the missing person’s case include Quesnel RCMP, the Forensic Identification Section, Air Services, Underwater Recovery teams and the Police Dog Service, all of which have conducted extensive searches.
Anyone with more information about Ward’s disappearance is asked to contact Quesnel RCMP at 250-992-9211, their local detachment, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
