Nigel's father, Chris Peterson, said there was some clear evidence that Nigel went south down Hemo Rd and carried on down State Highway 5 on Friday night. There were a couple of "maybe" sightings near Highland Rd on Monday or Wednesday but they were not certain.
Peterson said the family had not yet given up hope and thought Nigel was holed up somewhere waiting to be found.
"He's tough, and we've had beautiful weather and you know, he can walk, he can walk a long, long way.
"He can survive a couple of weeks without real food, and there's plenty of water around for him to find so it's just a real puzzle why he hasn't been seen. If he's holed up or hidden up closer to town, well that area has been really, thoroughly searched so it's truly frustrating.
"But we haven't given up, he's a tough boy and he's not likely to panic and do something silly. He's quite stoic, part and parcel of his makeup is a little bit of stoicism which adds to your survivability."
The land-based search for Nigel was to be suspended today while police assessed information gathered so far to determine their next steps.
Rotorua Constable Jonathan Fredericksen said several police staff and LandSAR members from the wider Bay of Plenty area had searched within the Waipa Mill forestry area for Nigel over the weekend.
"They were assisted by a drone and a helicopter, which covered large open farmland within the area."
Police urged members of the public who believe they may have sighted Nigel Peterson to get in touch, because such sightings could provide crucial information to help with determining the search area.
Nigel Peterson's description
• 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
Any information can be given to Rotorua police on (07) 348 0099 or the anonymous Crimestoppers line on (0800 555 111)
