Family of missing disabled man plead for help

The family of a disabled 25-year-old man has issued a plea for help after his disappearance took a sinister twist.

Jamie Kininmonth should have arrived on a bus in Auckland on Monday -- but he went missing in Hamilton and someone tried to use his eftpos card in South Auckland later in the day.

Jamie's brother and sister -- both students at Waikato University -- have scoured Hamilton city while other family members took up the search in Auckland.

They are expected to begin distributing flyers with Jamie's photograph and contact details today.

Jamie's grandfather, John Kininmonth, said the family was desperate to find Jamie because he was unlikely to be able to find them.

Family say Jamie is a friendly and trusting person and they fear someone may have taken advantage of him.

Dr Kininmonth, a former Forest Research Institute official, said Jamie suffered brain damage in a car crash 10 years ago. As a result he has poor short term memory and walks awkwardly.

Jamie was on a bus from his grandparents' Rotorua home to Auckland, where he lives in care. He got off the bus at a scheduled stop in Hamilton about 3.20pm on Monday but did not get back on.

The driver waited 10 minutes for him before continuing on to Auckland.

That night someone tried to use Jamie's Bank of New Zealand eftpos card in Manukau and Papatoetoe, but failed because they tried to take out more than was in the account.

Dr Kininmonth said Jamie had travelled by himself on buses before without any problems.

"I think, by the look of the way the card has gone, he might be in South Auckland.

"This just highlights the problems of people with disabilities in general."

His family learned he was missing at 10.30pm on Monday.

Dr Kininmonth said the family was shattered by Jamie's disappearance.

Jamie is part Samoan and has short dark hair.

He is 175cm tall, is of solid build and wears glasses.

When he got on the bus, he was wearing blue jeans, a black top with a motif on the front, a blue Rip Curl jacket and a brown and green Trukka baseball cap.

It was possible Jamie had made his own way to Auckland but his family believed he would not have been able to find his way around if he had.

* If you have seen Jamie Kininmonth contact the nearest police station or call 0800 TIPOFF.

- NZPA