Search for city man called off

The search for a Hamilton man missing for almost two weeks has been called off.

Police made the decision to suspend the search for Raymond Stirling yesterday, Waikato police Search and Rescue Sergeant Vince Ranger said.

‘‘It’s a discussion we had with family over the last week.

‘‘They knew somewhere along the line it would come to an end.

‘‘While the suspension is some ways to an end, it is not necessarily the end.’’

Stirling, 84, disappeared from his Halcione Close home in Flagstaff sometime between 8pm on Monday, January 15, and 11am on Tuesday, January 16.

He suffers from dementia and is physically frail.

Both Stirling’s walker and walking stick were found at his home.

Since his disappearance, family members have traipsed through backyards, waded the waters of the Waikato River and pushed through grassed banks in the hope of finding him.

There have probably been as many as 700 helpers, daughter Julie Caddigan said.

‘‘The one that really got me, we had a family - the grandparents, the parents, and the children ... they all came to help,’’ she said.

‘‘I don’t even know if we had a connection to them.

‘‘I’m not quite sure how we can possibly ever thank [the searchers] enough, but we’ll work on that.’’

New World also stunned the family by showing up with fruit, muesli bars and bottled water for searchers.

Police had earlier told the family survival was up to eight days, and had discussed the suspension of the search.

The family is worried and scared, Caddigan said, but they understand the police reasoning.

‘‘At the moment they don’t have any leads whatsoever,’’ she said.

‘‘But if they get a lead they’ll be back on it.’’

Finding Stirling is the family’s priority, Caddigan said, and many times her brother has been out night and day.

The family will keep looking, but is no longer asking for volunteers to help search Hamilton’s northern suburbs.

‘‘We’ve just run out of suggestions to tell people where to go,’’ she said.

Instead, police advice was for people to inspect their home areas and nearby public areas, such as parks or streams.

A thorough search is needed, she said, looking under, on top, inside, rather than walking around looking.

There had been no sign of Stirling when police completed a thorough search of the streets around Flagstaff and the Waikato River, Ranger said.

‘‘We will still manage the information from the public that comes in.

‘‘But the ongoing search itself has been suspended.’’

Over the last 11 days, searchers and family have covered most parts of the northern suburbs, visited shopping centres and parts of Nga¯ruawa¯hia and Huntly, where Stirling spent his earlier life as a butcher.

The focus of the search over the last week has been the river area, about 800 metres from Stirling’s home, stretching between Pukete Bridge to Horotiu.

‘‘There will still be some activity with the police boat on the river over the next two days and next week,’’ Ranger said.

‘‘The family will also continue to carry on searches along the river.’’

‘‘They weren’t looking forward to the news, but unfortunately we have covered as much as we can to find him.’’