The brother of a man missing for three months has issued a further appeal amid fears he has been "lured away."
Gary Patterson was last seen lifting money from a cash machine outside Tesco on Main Street in Larne on Saturday, October 12, after leaving his flat at 10am. The 45-year-old was reported missing on December 20, with police saying he has links to the Larne and Belfast areas.
Searches have been taking place for a number of weeks, with Gary's family, friends, community search and rescue teams, and K9 Search and Rescue involved. The family have also started a Facebook page to help co-ordinate search teams and volunteers.
Speaking to Belfast Live amid the searches, his brother, Simon, said he is now concerned Gary may have been "lured away" from his local area.
He said: "He's a vulnerable person, in the way of he's a bit of a loner, and outside his bubble he gets a bit confused. In Larne, he's very comfortable and able to fend for himself, but if you take him away from those familiar surroundings he can get confused.
"We've been out day and night checking everywhere in Larne for three weeks. The positive is we haven't found a body, we have to have the hope he is out there. I'm now wondering if he's been lured away by somebody."
As for a description of Gary on the day he went missing, and his last known movements, Simon explained: "He was last seen on CCTV coming out of his flat at 10am on October 12. From there, he went to the Tesco cash machine on Main Street in Larne, which is his last sighting.
"On the day, he was wearing a yellow and black checked jumper - best described like a bumblebee - with blue jeans, walking boots, and a beanie hat.
"Police have done all the checks of his phone, bank, and have been checking hospitals regularly - but unfortunately there's nothing they can ping on his phone. The last money he lifted from Tesco was £100 on the day he went missing, they checked back through two years of his records and that amount being lifted was quite regular. He would always take cash out and use that to pay for everything.
"Ports, buses, and trains CCTV has been backdated and checked. Every day he would be travelling out of the house in the morning and coming back by about 4pm, he never ventures too far at all."
Simon said although there have been no concrete sightings as of yet, a number of potential sightings in Belfast came through yesterday, with police now clarifying whether there is anything to these sightings.
Issuing an appeal directly to his brother, Simon said: "If you see this, please make contact with anybody, even someone on the street, to see if they could publicise you've seen the appeals. Don't have any fear in making contact with us or even making your way back to Larne, everybody is there and we all want to give you as much support as possible to come back."
The latest missing person appeal from police was issued on January 9, with officers saying they are "increasingly concerned for his wellbeing."
Inspector Ash said: “45-year-old Gary Patterson has now been missing for almost 3 months, having last been seen was last seen in Larne on Saturday, 12th October 2024.
“Gary was reported missing on Friday, 20th December and has links to the Larne and Belfast areas.
“He has dark hair and when last seen, he had a thick moustache and was wearing a distinctive yellow and black check patterned coat with dark blue jeans, hiking/walking boots and a black beanie hat.
“We are growing increasingly concerned for Gary’s wellbeing and would ask that anyone who has seen him, or who may have information which may help us to locate him, contact police on 101, quoting reference 530 of 20/12/24.”
The Let's Find Gary Facebook page can be accessed by clicking here.
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