Foul play not suspected in disappearance of Whitby teacher
Posted January 14, 2014 10:24 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Foul play is not suspected in the disappearance of Whitby teacher Jeffrey Boucher, Durham regional police said at a news conference Tuesday.
They had been searching for the 52-year-old man since Monday morning and the search will continue “24/7,” police said. It was believed he had left the house for his routine morning jog, a trip of about 10 kilometres.
However, Sgt. Nancy Van Rooy said Tuesday, no one actually saw him leave his home.
He was last seen on Sunday evening. It is assumed he went to bed and later went for a run. He left his phone and his car at home.
“Our strongest lead…is to believe he followed through on his regular routine,” Van Rooy said.
“The family has been very cooperative.”
The case is still a routine missing person investigation and there is no need yet for the public to join the search. Auxiliary police teams as well as canine and air units are assisting in the search.
There is some concern that Boucher is hurt or injured, and Whitby residents are advised to check their property.
A command post has been set up near his family home on Gilchrist Court, near Brock Street and Taunton Road.
Police say Boucher, who works as a teacher at Bowmanville High School, did not arrive for work on Monday morning.
He is an avid runner and athlete and while the search initially focused on the area close to his home, he is capable of running much further, Van Rooy said.
“He usually comes back by seven at the latest and then he usually kisses me goodbye at twenty after seven and he’s off to work and none of that happened this morning,” Boucher’s wife Kirsten told CityNews on Monday.
“I don’t know what went wrong.”
Boucher is described as white, six-feet tall, 180 pounds with grey and white short hair.
Police are asking anyone with information regarding his whereabouts or who may have had contact with him recently to call them at (888) 579-1520.
