Where could they be? Mystery of missing Mamaku pair

Missing men: Ray Fleet, 51, and James Fleet, 25.

Speculation about the whereabouts of two men missing from the tiny Rotorua town of Mamaku is rife - but no one in the tight-knit community knows for sure where they could be.

James, 25, and Raymond Fleet, 51 have been missing for more than a week after James left his grandmother's house, where he was living, on Monday night leaving his shoes, wallet, car and keys. His uncle Raymond went missing around the same time.

Police announced yesterday they were treating the case as suspicious and were concerned for the pair's wellbeing.

Rotorua investigations manager Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Van Kempen said the disappearance was completely out of character for both of them.

"Their family are distraught and do not have any reason to believe Raymond or James would willingly leave."

The fact James left without his shoes during a cold and damp Mamaku winter struck local mechanic Adam Ducre as odd, but the young roofer leaving his phone behind was the strangest detail at all.

"For a young fella, no phone - that's weird," he said.

Mr Ducre said when there were mysteries in Mamaku the rumour mill went into overdrive, and usually people had a good idea of what had happened a few days after news broke.

Not this time.

Mr Ducre had grown up with Raymond, and said his nephew James was a "lovely young man".

The Fleets were a well-known family, having lived in Mamaku for four generations, said local resident John Rush.

Mr Rush said everyone had a theory about what might have happened, but he wasn't going to repeat any of it because it was all speculation.

"When something happens up here in Mamaku, it happens to all of us," he said.

James was a "likeable young fella" and Ray was a good guy, Mr Rush said.

"It's a mystery [what's happened to them] and in a small community like ours it's a very sad sort of a mystery."

Ray's cousin, Hemuera Hodge, said he feared for the safety of both men.

The disappearances were "absolutely" strange, he said.

"I'm very, very concerned."

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said it was scary to have the disappearances happen so close to home.

Meanwhile, Ray's son has delayed his birthday party to wait for his dad to return home.

His wife, Michiko Suzuki, said their 9-year-old son had planned to have a birthday party last weekend but put it off.

"He said he wants to wait for Daddy to come home, then he wants to have a big birthday party," Ms Suzuki said. "They believe Dad is coming back."

Ms Suzuki was back working this week.

"I'm getting scared. I just want to be strong but no energy ... Boys try not to think about it."

Mr Van Kempen asked anyone with any information that may help find the pair to contact police on (07) 349 9400 or anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.