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Relatives of missing Tauranga man Jarrad Ormsby, who has not contacted immediate family in three weeks, say they just want to know he is alive and okay.
Sister Lizzette Britton, of Whanganui, and niece Shianne Ormsby, of Tauranga, say the family is worried for the safety of the 45 year old, last seen in Hamilton on December 19.
Shianne said the family was willing to help “in any way” to get him home safely.
Lizzette Britton, of Whanganui, has spoken out about her younger brother Jarrad Ormsby who has been missing for three weeks and was last seen in Hamilton. Photo / Olivia Reid
Jarrad is originally from Welcome Bay in Tauranga but had recently stayed with his partner in Hamilton.
It was believed he was headed to catch a bus to Tauranga but had not been seen since, police said.
Shianne told the Bay of Plenty Times Jarrad was believed to have “left on foot” from the home he shared with his partner on December 19.
She said she found out Jarrad was missing on Christmas Eve and reported him missing on December 28 when she learned there had been no activity on his bank account.
Jarrad Ormsby's sister Lizzette Britton said this photo shows what she believes Jarrad would most likely look like now.
Shianne said she understood Jarrad did not take any of his clothes or belongings when he left.
She said she’d had “absolutely no contact” from Jarrad.
Lizzette Britton, of Whanganui, has spoken out about her younger brother Jarrad Ormsby who has been missing for three weeks. Photo / Olivia Reid
“I feel like if he needed to skittle away somewhere that he could have messaged me, because ... I feel like I’ve always had a good relationship with him.”
She said the last contact the immediate family had was when Jarrad called their father and spoke to him on the phone on December 18.
Britton said “at least a dozen” people had reported potential sightings of her brother from “all over the country”, including Whitianga, Whanganui, and Te Kūiti.
She asked anyone who potentially saw him to “snap a quick photo” so the family could assess whether it was him.
“We don’t need to know if ... if he just needs a break or if he’s just on time out.
“All we need, really, if he is somewhere, could someone take a photo of him, or can he arrange to get a photo taken of him with today’s newspaper? Because then we know that’s a recent photo.”
Britton said the family were sending any information to the police and encouraged people to keep reporting potential sightings.
A police spokesman confirmed Jarrad was still missing.
Anyone who had seen Jarrad or may have information to help locate him, was asked to call 111 and quote file number 241228/0623.
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.
