Missing man Nigel Peterson. Photo / File
Rerewhakaaitu residents have left out food and water just on the off chance missing autistic man Nigel Peterson is in the area and desperately needs it.
Police say that's just one example of how the community is coming together to do all it can to find the 33-year-old, who has been missing for more than three weeks.
More than 150 volunteers have so far been involved in the search, which continued around Rerewhakaaitu, south of Rotorua, at the weekend after a "credible but unconfirmed" sighting of him last week.
Constable Colin Fraser, who leads the Rotorua Search and Rescue Squad, said they couldn't manage without the teams of volunteers.
This weekend the ground search continued South of Tumunui on State Highway 5 and out towards Lake Rerewhakaaitu on SH38.
Four Land Search and Rescue teams completed the search of the area but didn't find anything.
"These guys put some long hours in, because they really care about people," Fraser said.
The search sparked back into action at the weekend after reports someone fitting Peterson's description was seen in the area.
Fraser said since then, people of Rerewhakaaitu had driven the streets and left food outside their homes in case Peterson needed it.
Search and Rescue team leader Tony Middlemiss said people didn't realise the physical hours that got put into a search by the volunteers.
"These guys do not get the notoriety they deserve, they give so much of their own time, equipment and money."
He said Search and Rescue could never have too many volunteers.
"Any volunteer is welcome, you can lodge an inquiry on the website and if you're prepared to learn, then we will train you."
Matt Gare has been a Search and Rescue volunteer for the past two-and-a-half years.
"It's a way to give something back to the community," he said.
"It keeps me out of mischief."
He would estimate he has been involved with about 20 searches.
Yesterday was his fifth day involved in the ground search for Peterson and he had walked close to 17km.
He said he wanted to help get closure for the family.
"They need as many people as they can get on an operation like this.
"There's still morale among the teams and we are optimistic we will find him."
Gare said if Search and Rescue called and needed him to go out searching somewhere, he would go.
"It's always a blast, I enjoy the camaraderie of it."
The search so far
• November 17, 3pm - Peterson was last seen at 3pm on Otonga Rd, heading towards Old Taupo Rd
• November 17, 4pm - Credible sighting of Peterson at the Hemo Gorge intersection.
• November 21 - Police began the door-to-door search of more than 1200 properties in the area
• November 24 - Police used heat-seeking drones in the search
• November 25-26 - A large weekend push saw police cover the area south of Rotorua towards Tumunui
• November 27 - Heli-resources loaned their helicopter to cover a large area around SH5 and Highlands Loop Rd
• December 1 - Police spent 45 minutes giving out flyers to all cars travelling through Hemo Gorge
• December 3 - Potentially useful information was received from the area around Lake Rerewhakaaitu
• December 5 - Police temporarily suspended the ground search as they continued inquiries into credible sightings
• December 9-10 - Police and Land Search and Rescue completed searches South of Tumunui on SH5 and out towards Lake Rerewhakaaitu on SH38
Nigel Peterson
• 33 years old
• Slim, medium height
• Wearing a green T-shirt, light brown pants, brown sneakers and possibly a denim jacket
• Often wrings his hands and could be talking to himself
• Walks with an unusual gait and leans to the side as he moves
• It is now likely that Nigel would have grown ginger facial hair
Any information can be given to Rotorua police on (07) 348 0099 or the anonymous Crimestoppers line on (0800 555 111).