Grave fears for missing farmer

Police hold grave fears for Morrinsville farmer Amanjeet Bains, who has been missing in the Far North for more than a month.

He left his home about midday on Sunday, April 18, and his car was found in a secluded rural coastal area around Whangaroa Harbour, north of Kerikeri, about 8am the following day.

"It's been over a month since we located his car and there's been no trace of Amanjeet," Detective Sergeant Rod Carpinter, of Matamata-Piako CIB, told the Waikato Times.

"So there is growing fear that we won't be finding him alive."

Mr Bains, a 29-year-old third generation Indian New Zealander, had travelled to Auckland where he refuelled his car before dining at a Warkworth restaurant about 8.30pm.

His blue Holden Commodore, registration ELW514, was found the following day, but police were not notified until the following Friday, April 23.

"The person who originally saw the car on the Monday noticed it was still there on the Friday and believed it suspicious enough to warrant calling police which we're grateful for," Mr Carpinter said.

The investigation was now centred on items found in Mr Bains' car, and police were awaiting analysis of those items.

It was not known why Mr Bains went to Northland, and his bank account had not been touched since April 18.

Mr Bains is married with two small children.

Search and rescue teams had been in the area where the car was found several times, and Mr Bains' family had carried out air and sea searches with the assistance of Far North Search and Rescue members.

- NZPA