Police and family members are becoming increasingly concerned for the well-being of a Christchurch man who has now been missing for several months.
A police spokesperson said Stewart Willis, 63, is believed to have last been at his home on Colombo St in early August.
He has been missing since then and police investigating Willis' disappearance have not been able to locate him.
But the spokesperson said it is believed he was spotted near Mt Prospect on Kakapo Rd in Te Anau on October 26.
Around the time he went missing, a white sign was reportedly hung on his front door with the single word "Farm" written on it.
"Stewart is a very quiet man and lives a very solitary life, but police and his family have concerns for his welfare and want to know he is safe," the spokesperson said.
"Police do not know where Stewart is, but we believe he could still be in the area near Te Anau."
Willis lives in a block of four flats, in a small unit halfway down a driveway that leads to a bustling city road.
Speaking to the NZ Herald in August, Willis’ neighbour Thuya Thuya said he had a chatty nature and described several positive engagements with him.
"We’d talk very often, he’d sit outside on his front porch and drink his morning coffee," Thuya said.
"If something bad happened in the news, we’d talk about it. If you were needing help, he’d help you - he was a friendly man, a happy man."
Thuya understood Willis had lived at the property for nearly 10 years.
He didn’t have any visitors and generally kept to himself.
About a month before his disappearance, Thuya said he noticed Willis was acting differently from how he normally engaged. He didn’t want to talk and seemed "distracted".
Another neighbour, Harmeet Singh, whose unit connects to Willis’, said the missing man lived alone.
"He’s quite quiet, whenever he sees anybody he would say ‘hello’," he said.
Willis is understood to have worked at a Christchurch-based concrete company as a truck driver. His company declined to comment on the search.
Said Thuya: "I’m left thinking: ‘Where has he gone?’
"I don’t understand - but I’ve lived here for six years already but we always thought he was okay."
If you have seen Stewart or have any information which may assist Police in locating him please contact Police on 105 or online via https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 using ‘update report’ please reference file number: 230807/7610.
