Police have released footage of possible sighting of missing Alexandra man Christopher Bates. Photo / NZ Police
Police have released footage of possible sighting of missing Alexandra man Christopher Bates. Photo / NZ Police
Police searching for a missing Alexandra man have identified the person in a photo released publicly this morning and say it is not the missing 22-year-old.
Police released footage today of a possible sighting of missing Alexandra man Christopher Bates, who they have previously said they have grave fears for.
The Alexandra man was last seen at a Z service station on Tarbert St in Alexandra at 3.50pm on February 11 - the day before the footage was taken.
Police said at the time they had "grave" concerns for his welfare.
Christopher 'Chris' Bates was last last seen wearing a pair of dark shorts, a white T-shirt and sneaker-style shoes. Photo / NZ Police
In a just-issued statement, police said that after publication of the this morning's photograph, investigators had established the person shown was not Bates.
A land-based search, comprising Search and Rescue volunteers and a Police dog team, was now underway in several areas around Alexandra.
Bates was last seen wearing a grey hoodie, a white T-shirt, dark shorts and sneaker-style shoes.
He is described as being slim, 1.8m tall, with short to medium length brown hair and brown eyes.
Police investigations in the five days following his disappearance revealed he hadn't used his bank account or his cellphone since then.
An extensive land and water search took place in Alexandra following his disappearance.
At that time police urged Central Otago and Dunedin communities to help search for Bates.
Senior Constable Craig Gibson, who is heading the search, said last month the Alexandra community response had already been "overwhelming", but "more eyes and ears" were needed.
"Just be aware that Christopher is out there somewhere and we need to find him and bring him home."
Extensive searches by about 30 people each day, and including the use of a drone and specialist dog team, took place east of Alexandra township, near the Manuherikia River and behind the clock on the hill.
The pines area around Alexandra, the banks of the Clutha River, from Alexandra to the Roxburgh Dam, were also searched, and a jetboat was used to search the Clutha River.
Bates' family and friends were among those out looking for him.
CCTV footage shortly before Christopher Bates went missing. Photo / NZ Police
Residents in Alexandra and Dunedin - where Bates completed a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Otago - were also asked to keep an eye out for him.
Gibson said it was not unusual for Bates to walk up to about 10km from Alexandra.
Although he was thought to be on foot, it was possible Bates used public transport to leave the Central Otago town.
"There's nowhere that we don't want people to go; they [members of the public] are not going to be destroying any evidence. We just need people out there keeping an eye out. If you see something a little bit strange, or if you're [in the hills with your dog] and your dog acts a little bit funny, please contact us."
Businesses with CCTV cameras were also asked to check them, particularly footage from February 11 and 12, Gibson said last month.
Bates' father, John Bates, of Alexandra, said at the time the family were very grateful to everyone who was helping to search.
